[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 236 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69699-69700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23898]



[[Page 69699]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection


Announcement of an Additional Public Open House for the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for Construction, Maintenance, and 
Operation of Tactical Infrastructure, U.S. Border Patrol, Rio Grande 
Valley Sector, TX

AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of Additional Public Open House.

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SUMMARY: This notice supplements information provided in the November 
16, 2007, Federal Register Notice of Availability and Public Open House 
Announcement for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
proposed construction, maintenance, and operation of tactical 
infrastructure along approximately 70 miles of the U.S./Mexico 
international border within the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley 
Sector, Texas. In addition to the previously announced public open 
houses concerning the Draft EIS to be held on December 11, 2007 in 
McAllen, TX, and December 12, 2007, in Brownsville, TX, Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP) invites public participation at a third public 
open house to be held on December 13, 2007, at the Veterans of Foreign 
Wars (VFW) Post 08526 in Rio Grande City, TX.

DATES: CBP will hold three public open houses to provide information 
and invite comments on the proposed construction, maintenance and 
operation of the tactical infrastructure and the Draft EIS. The first 
public open house will be held on December 11, 2007, at the McAllen 
Convention Center in McAllen, TX. A second public open house will be 
held on December 12, 2007, at the Brownsville Events Center in 
Brownsville, TX. The third public open house will be held on December 
13, 2007, at the VFW Post 08526 in Rio Grande City, TX. Each 
public open house will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Please refer to 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for more information.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft EIS can be downloaded by visiting http://www.BorderFenceNEPA.com, or https://ecso.swf.usace.army.mil/Pages/Publicreview.cfm, or requested by e-mailing: 
[email protected]. To request a hard copy of the Draft 
EIS, you may call toll-free 1-877-752-0420. Alternatively, written 
requests for information may be submitted to: Charles McGregor, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Construction Support Office, 
819 Taylor St., Room 3B10, Fort Worth, Texas 76102; phone: (817) 886-
1585; and fax: (757) 282-7697. Hard copies of the Draft EIS can be 
reviewed at the McAllen Memorial Library (601 N. Main St., McAllen, TX 
78501, (956) 688-3300); Speer Memorial Library (801 E. 12th St., 
Mission, TX 78572, (956) 580-8750); Brownsville Public Library (2600 
Central Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78520, (956) 548-1055); Rio Grande City 
Public Library (591 E. Canales St., Rio Grande City, TX 78582, (956) 
487-4389); Weslaco Public Library (525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX 
78596, (956) 968-4533); Mercedes Memorial Library (434 S. Ohio Ave., 
Mercedes, TX 78570, (956) 565-2371); Harlingen Public Library (410 76 
Dr., Harlingen, TX 78550, (956) 216-5802); and San Benito Public 
Library (101 W. Rose St., San Benito, TX 78586, (956) 361-3860).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles McGregor, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Engineering and Construction Support Office, 819 Taylor St., 
Room 3B10, Fort Worth, Texas 76102; phone: (817) 886-1585; and fax: 
(757) 282-7697.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 24, 2007, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS in the Federal Register 
(72 FR 54276) for the proposed construction, maintenance, and operation 
of a tactical infrastructure along approximately 70 miles of the U.S./
Mexico international border within the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande 
Valley Sector, Texas. On November 16, 2007, CBP published a Notice of 
Availability of the Draft EIS and Public Open House Announcement in the 
Federal Register (72 FR 64663). Additional information on the Proposed 
Action can be found in the Notice of Availability or by visiting the 
Web site http://www.borderfencenepa.com.

Public Open Houses

    In addition to the two public open houses previously announced in 
the Federal Register on November 16, 2007, members of the public who 
wish to provide information and comments on the Draft EIS may now also 
attend a third open house to be held in Rio Grande City, TX. The first 
public open house will be held on December 11, 2007, at the McAllen 
Convention Center in McAllen, TX , located at 700 Convention Center 
Blvd., McAllen, TX. A second public open house will be held on December 
12, 2007, at the Brownsville Events Center in Brownsville, TX, located 
at 1 Event Ctr., Brownsville, TX. The third public open house will be 
held on December 13, 2007, at VFW Post 08526 in Rio Grande 
City, TX located at 5123 Veteran's Drive, Rio Grande City, TX. Each 
public open house will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central 
Standard Time.
    Notifications of these open houses were also published in the 
Brownsville Herald, Valley Morning Star, The Monitor, La Frontera, and 
El Nuevo Heraldo.
    Anyone wishing to submit comments may do so orally and/or in 
writing at the open houses. Comments received at the open houses will 
be recorded and transcribed into the public record for the meeting. 
Commentors must include their name and address. Spanish language 
translation will be provided. Those who plan to attend the public open 
house and will need special assistance such as sign language 
interpretation or other reasonable accommodations should notify the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION) at least 3 
business days in advance. Include contact information, as well as 
information about specific needs. Those unable to attend may submit 
comments as described under ``Request for Comments'' below.

Request for Comments

    CBP requests public participation in the EIS process. The public 
may participate by attending public open houses and submitting written 
comments on the Draft EIS. CBP will consider all comments submitted 
during the public comment period and subsequently will prepare the 
Final EIS. CBP will announce the availability of the Final EIS and once 
again give interested parties an opportunity to review the document.
    When submitting comments, please include name and address, and 
identify comments as intended for the Rio Grande Valley Sector Draft 
EIS. To avoid duplication, please use only one of the following 
methods:
    (a) Attendance and submission of comments at the public open houses 
to be held December 11, 2007 at the McAllen Convention Center in 
McAllen, TX; December 12, 2007 at the Brownsville Events Center in 
Brownsville, TX; and December 13, 2007 at the VFW Post 08526 
in Rio Grande City, TX.

[[Page 69700]]

    (b) Electronically through the Web site at http://www.BorderFenceNEPA.com.
    (c) By e-mail to: [email protected].
    (d) By mail to: Rio Grande Valley Tactical Infrastructure EIS, c/o 
e\2\M, 2751 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, Virginia 22031.
    (e) By fax to: (757) 282-7697.
    Comments on the Draft EIS should be submitted by December 31, 2007.

    Dated: December 5, 2007.
Eugene H. Schied,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Finance, Customs and Border 
Protection.
[FR Doc. E7-23898 Filed 12-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P