[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 33 (Friday, February 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8602-8603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2287]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology 
(US-VISIT) Program; Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (PEA) on the US-VISIT Plan for Potential 
Changes to Immigration and Border Management Processes

AGENCY: US-VISIT, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Public Meetings.

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SUMMARY: A Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the 
United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-
VISIT) Program is available for public review and comment. The Draft 
PEA examined potential for environmental impacts from each of the four 
strategic approaches to enhancing immigration and border management 
processes. These four approaches are aimed at improving information 
available to determine the identity and immigration status of 
individuals traveling to and from the United States.

DATES: The Draft PEA will be available for public review and comment 
from February 17, 2006 until March 18, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft PEA may be obtained through the Internet 
at www.us-visitfacility.us or by writing US-VISIT Program-Comments, 
Attn: Environmental Programs Manager, PO Box 587, Arlington, VA 22216-
0587. You may submit comments, in Spanish or English, by one of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Mail or Hand Delivery/Courier: US-VISIT Program-Comments, 
Attn: Environmental Programs Manager, PO Box 587, Arlington, VA 22216-
0587.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Mahoney, US-VISIT Environmental 
Program Manager, at: (202) 298-5245 or by e-mail at [email protected]; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. EST.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These four strategic approaches were 
developed with an understanding of potential future initiatives to 
enhance the Nation's immigration and border security. The four 
approaches are: (1) Maintaining the status quo by continuing current 
processes for assessing individuals and improving facilities, 
technology, and staff at the current rate; (2) implementing changes to 
the immigration and border management processes at the U.S.

[[Page 8603]]

border through growth of both numbers of employees and physical 
capacity at the nation's land, air, and sea ports of entry; (3) 
implementing changes to the immigration and border management processes 
through technological enhancements that would allow eligibility and 
risk assessments to be made primarily overseas; and/or (4) a 
combination of approaches 2 and 3. Due to the national scope of this 
Draft PEA, the environmental impacts of implementing any of these 
approaches could occur within virtually every ecosystem in the United 
States. The Draft PEA is a qualitative assessment that provides 
information on the potential for significant environmental impacts from 
each of these four strategies that will be used to inform further 
policy and strategy development and future implementation of the 
proposed changes. This analysis provides results that will be used to 
focus any future environmental impact analyses on the most important 
resources of concern. The Draft PEA found that the resource areas most 
likely to be impacted by these changes are air quality and 
socioeconomics. The Draft PEA is being issued and made available to the 
public in accordance with the provisions of the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This Notice also announces 
that US-VISIT will conduct public meetings in February and March 2006 
at seven locations in the United States, at which US-VISIT will invite 
the public to comment on information and analyses in the Draft PEA. The 
Draft PEA is available in English and Spanish. US-VISIT has made the 
Draft PEA widely available by distributing it (or a notice of its 
availability) to many interested parties, local and national 
newspapers, local libraries, and by posting it on the Internet. US-
VISIT intends to issue subsequent Notices.
    The dates and locations of all public meetings will be publicized 
no less than one week in advance in local news media in communities 
where the meetings will be held. Dates and locations are as follows: 
Miami, FL, McDonald Center, Rooms 1, 2, and 3 (Feb. 21); Buffalo, NY, 
Buffalo State College, Sport Arena Lobby Area (Feb. 23); Detroit, MI, 
Coleman A. Young Recreation Center, Multi-Purpose Room (Feb. 23); 
Tucson, AZ, Pima Community College, Amethyst Community Room, Building 
CC180 (Feb. 28); and El Paso, TX, El Paso High School (Feb. 28); 
Seattle/Bellingham, WA, Bellingham High School Commons Area (Mar. 2); 
San Diego/San Ysidro, CA, Southwestern Community College Student 
Center, East (Mar. 2).

    Dated: February 8, 2006.
Manuel M. Rodriguez,
Director, US-VISIT Office of Facilities and Engineering.
James A. Williams,
Director, US-VISIT.
[FR Doc. E6-2287 Filed 2-16-06; 8:45 am]
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