[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 63257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22094]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 9713]


Notice of 30 Day Public Comment Period Regarding the National 
Interest Determination for Otay Water District's Presidential Permit 
Application

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On November 25, 2013, the Otay Water District applied for a 
Presidential Permit from the Department of State (``State Department'') 
authorizing the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of 
a cross-border liquid pipeline for the importation of desalinated 
seawater at the international boundary between the United States and 
Mexico in San Diego County, California. On September 2, 2016, after 
consulting with the public and interested agencies, the Office of 
Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues (OES/EQT) at the State 
Department and the Otay Water District issued a final environmental 
impact report/environmental impact statement (EIR/EIS). Background 
information related to the application, including the application and 
the EIR/EIS, may be found at: http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/permit/app/otaypermit/index.htm.
    The State Department's review of this application is based upon 
Executive Order 11423 of August 16, 1968, as amended. As provided in 
E.O. 11423, the Department is circulating this application to relevant 
federal agencies for review and comment. Under E.O. 11423, the 
Department has the responsibility to determine, taking into account 
views from these agencies and other stakeholders, whether issuing a 
Presidential Permit to Otay Water District authorizing the 
construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of a cross-border 
liquid pipeline for the importation of desalinated seawater would serve 
the national interest. That determination process involves 
consideration of many factors, including foreign policy; environmental, 
cultural, and economic impacts; compliance with applicable law and 
regulations; and other issues.
    Interested members of the public are invited to submit written 
comments regarding this application. The public comment period will end 
30 days from the publication of this notice. Comments are not private. 
They will be posted on the site http://www.regulations.gov. The 
comments will not be edited to remove identifying or contact 
information, and the State Department cautions against including any 
information that one does not want publicly disclosed. The State 
Department requests that any part soliciting or aggregating comments 
received from other persons for submission to the State Department 
inform those persons that the State Department will not edit their 
comments to remove identifying or contact information, and that they 
should not include any information in their comments that they do not 
want publicly disclosed.

DATES: Comments must be submitted no later than October 14, 2016 at 
11:59 p.m.

ADDRESSES: For reasons of efficiency, the State Department encourages 
the electronic submission of comments through the federal government's 
eRulemaking Portal (http://www.regulations.gov), enter the Docket No. 
DOS-2016-0061, and follow the prompts to submit a comment. The State 
Department also will accept comments submitted in hard copy by mail and 
postmarked no later than October 14, 2016. Please note that standard 
mail delivery to the State Department can be delayed due to security 
screening. To submit comments by mail, use the following address: U.S.-
Mexico Border Affairs Office, Room 3924, Department of State, 2201 C 
St. NW., Washington, DC 20520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Mexican Affairs, Bureau of 
Western Hemisphere Affairs, via email at [email protected]; 
by phone at 202-647-9894; or by mail at WHA/MEX--Room 3924, Department 
of State, 2201 C St. NW., Washington, DC 20520.

    Dated: September 8, 2016.
Colleen A. Hoey,
Director, Office of Mexican Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2016-22094 Filed 9-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-29-P