Notice2023-16957
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Public Scoping Meeting for the Expansion and Modernization of the Kenneth G Ward Land Port of Entry in Lynden, Washington and the Sumas Land Port of Entry in Sumas, Washington
Primary source
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Published
August 8, 2023
Issuing agencies
General Services Administration
Abstract
Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, and the GSA/PBS NEPA Desk Guide, GSA intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential environmental impacts from the proposed expansion and modernization of the Kenneth G. Ward Land Port of Entry (LPOE) located in Lynden, Washington and the Sumas LPOE located in Sumas, Washington. GSA has initiated the required Section 106 consultation of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) involving outreach efforts with the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and Tribes.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53486-53487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16957]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[Notice-P-2023-02; Docket No. 2023-0002; Sequence No. 25]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Public Scoping Meeting for the Expansion and Modernization of the
Kenneth G Ward Land Port of Entry in Lynden, Washington and the Sumas
Land Port of Entry in Sumas, Washington
AGENCY: Office of Public Buildings Service (PBS); General Services
Administration, (GSA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations, and the GSA/PBS NEPA Desk Guide, GSA intends to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential
environmental impacts from the proposed expansion and modernization of
the Kenneth G. Ward Land Port of Entry (LPOE) located in Lynden,
Washington and the Sumas LPOE located in Sumas, Washington. GSA has
initiated the required Section 106 consultation of the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) involving outreach efforts with the
Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and Tribes.
DATES: A virtual public scoping meeting, in open house format, will be
held on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Time (PDT).
Interested parties should submit comments by Tuesday, September 12,
2023, to be considered in the formation of the Draft EIS. The views and
comments of the public are necessary to help determine the scope and
content of the environmental analysis. The meeting will be held on the
Zoom platform where GSA will present and distribute project information
and obtain input on the scope of the project. The link for the public
scoping meeting can be found on the GSA project websites at: <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/lynden">https://www.gsa.gov/lynden</a> or <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/sumas">https://www.gsa.gov/sumas</a>.
All mail-in comments must be postmarked by September 12, 2023.
Deadlines for Requests of Special Accommodations: Persons needing
special accommodations shall notify Emily Grimes at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#692510070d0c072539262c290e1a08470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="baf6c3d4dedfd4f6eaf5fffaddc9db94ddd5cc">[email protected]</span></a>
or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#24775149455768746b61644357450a434b52"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0152746c60724d514e44416672602f666e77">[email protected]</span></a> by 12:00 p.m. PDT, on August 16, 2023.
ADDRESSES: The public is encouraged to provide written comments
regarding the scope of the EIS at the meeting and throughout the
comment period. Submit comments identified by Notice-P-2023-02 by any
of the following methods:
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eba792858f8e85a7bba4aeab8c988ac58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="682411060c0d062438272d280f1b09460f071e">[email protected]</span></a>, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5704223a36241b0718121730243679303821"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5704223a36241b0718121730243679303821">[email protected]</span></a>. Include
Notice Identifier in the subject line of the message.
<bullet> Virtual Meeting: Online comment forms will be available
during the August 23rd open-house public meeting and at the GSA project
websites listed below throughout the comment period: <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/lynden">https://www.gsa.gov/lynden</a> and <a href="https://www.gsa.gov/sumas">https://www.gsa.gov/sumas</a>.
<bullet> Mail: U.S. General Services Administration, Attention:
Emily Grimes, Environmental Program Manager, 1301 A Street, Suite 610,
Tacoma, WA 98402. Written comments must be postmarked by September 12,
2023.
<bullet> Federal Register: Submit comments in response to Notice-P-
2023-02 via <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Submit comments via the Federal
eRulemaking portal by searching for ``Notice-P-2023-02''. Select the
link ``Comment'' that corresponds with Notice-P-2023-02.'' Follow the
instructions provided at the screen. Please include your name, company
name (if any), and ``Notice-P-2023-02'' on your attached document.
Comments received generally will be posted without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal and/or business
confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your
comment(s), please check <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, approximately two-
to-three days after submission to verify posting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Grimes, Environmental Program
Manager, Facilities Management Division, GSA. Phone: (253) 394-4026.
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e2ae9b8c86878caeb2ada7a2859183cc858d94"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8dc1f4e3e9e8e3c1ddc2c8cdeafeeca3eae2fb">[email protected]</span></a> and <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#085b7d65697b4458474d486f7b69266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c497b1a9a5b788948b8184a3b7a5eaa3abb2">[email protected]</span></a>.
For press inquiries only, please contact Christi Chidester Votisek,
Public Affairs Officer, GSA. Phone: (253) 931-7127. Email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c8aba0baa1bbbca1a6a9e6aba0a1acadbbbcadba88afbba9e6afa7be"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="14777c667d67607d7a753a777c7d707167607166547367753a737b62">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Kenneth G. Ward LPOE is located at 9949
WA-539, Lynden, WA 98264
[[Page 53487]]
(hereafter Lynden LPOE), approximately 10 miles west of the Sumas LPOE
at the end of Route 539 at the U.S.-Canada border. The Lynden LPOE is
an inspection facility where U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
processes personal vehicles, buses, limited commercial vehicles (permit
only), and pedestrian traffic. There are four primary non-commercial
lanes, one of which can also process limited commercial traffic. The
port was constructed in 1988 and operates 16 hours a day, seven days a
week.
The Sumas LPOE is an inspection facility where CBP processes
commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, and pedestrian traffic at the
U.S.-Canada border at 103 Cherry St, Sumas, WA 98295. There are
currently four primary non-commercial lanes, with three lanes that
process personal vehicles and one that accommodates buses and oversized
vehicles; and two primary commercial lanes with booths. Pedestrian
traffic transits through indoor processing queues and spaces. The port
was constructed in 1988 and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The current Lynden and Sumas LPOEs no longer function adequately
and cannot meet current operational needs. At the Lynden LPOE, space
limitations cause frequent congestion in the commercial lane and
commercial vehicles often travel farther distances to other ports that
offer more efficient processing. The Sumas LPOE does not have enough
space for efficient traffic flow or safe and secure inspection areas,
which impede the port's operations and cause traffic and safety
concerns in the surrounding urban area.
Alternatives Under Consideration
The EIS will evaluate a total of four alternatives at each
location--one ``no action'' or ``no build'' alternative and three
``action'' or ``build'' alternatives. Alternative 1 is the No Action
Alternative, which assumes that any demolition of existing facilities,
construction of new facilities, and expansion of LPOE operations would
not occur. Both LPOEs would continue to operate under current
conditions. The three action alternatives would improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of the Lynden and Sumas LPOEs and would all include
acquiring land, demolishing existing facilities, and constructing new
facilities.
At the Lynden LPOE, Alternative 2 would include an east-west
facility layout for commercial inspections. Alternative 3 would be
identical to Alternative 2 other than the rotation of commercial
inspection to a north-south orientation. Land acquisition under
Alternatives 2 and 3 at the Lynden LPOE would be similar in acreage but
would differ in location or orientation. Alternative 4 would consist of
the same facility layout as either Alternative 2 or 3, but would alter
construction phasing such that construction activities at the LPOEs
occur sequentially. Under Alternative 4, the Lynden LPOE would close
and construction activities at the Lynden LPOE would occur first. Once
the Lynden LPOE is reopened, the Sumas LPOE would close and
construction activities at the Sumas LPOE would occur.
At the Sumas LPOE, the layout of Alternative 2 is designed to
optimize operational flow--especially for outbound non-commercial
vehicles. The facility layout of Alternative 3 maximizes the vehicle
maneuvering area (especially for larger vehicles like trucks).
Alternative 4 consists of a multiple story construction in order to
provide greater vehicle maneuvering area for transiting vehicles.
Compared to Alternatives 2 and 3, Alternative 4 would not have a
different number of commercial, outbound, or personal vehicle lanes,
but it may consolidate some of the administrative buildings and have a
slightly smaller overall footprint. Land acquisition at the Sumas LPOE
would be identical under each alternative.
Demolition, construction, and renovation activities would be phased
to maintain LPOE operations at both ports for the entirety of the
construction period under all action alternatives--except for
Alternative 4 at the Lynden LPOE, which would require closing
operations at both LPOEs during their respective construction
activities. During this time, traffic at the LPOE under construction
would be directed to the operational LPOE.
Potential impacts from these three action alternatives will be
compared against a first ``no action'' alternative wherein the current
LPOE facilities would continue to operate under existing conditions.
The EIS will address the potential environmental impacts of the
proposed alternatives on resource areas including but not limited to
land use, water resources (including floodplains), biological
resources, geology and soils, transportation and traffic, noise,
cultural and Tribal resources, socioeconomics, environmental justice
and protection of children's health, hazardous waste and materials, air
quality, climate change, and utilities.
Anamarie T. Crawley,
Director, GSA-PBS R10 Facilities Management Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-16957 Filed 8-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-DL-P
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