[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2871-2872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01690]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[NOTICE PBS-2019-02; DOCKET NO. 2019-002; SEQUENCE NO. 2]


Notice of Availability and Announcement of Public Meeting for the 
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the San Ysidro 
Land Port of Entry Improvements Project, San Ysidro, California

AGENCY: Public Buildings Service (PBS), General Services Administration 
(GSA).

ACTION: Notice of availability; announcement of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), which examines the 
potential impacts of a proposal by the GSA, to reconfigure and expand 
the existing San Ysidro Land Port of Entry (LPOE) located at the United 
States (U.S.)-Mexico border in the City of San Diego community of San 
Ysidro, in San Diego County, California. The Final SEIS describes the 
reason the project is being proposed; the alternatives considered; the 
potential impacts of each of the alternatives on the existing 
environment; and the proposed avoidance, minimization, and/or 
mitigation measures related to those alternatives. As the lead agency 
for this undertaking, GSA is acting on behalf of its major tenant at 
this facility, the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border 
Protection.

DATES: A public meeting for the Final SEIS will be held on Wednesday, 
February 20th, 2019, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Pacific Standard 
Time. Interested parties are encouraged to attend. The availability 
period for the Final SEIS ends on Monday, March 11th, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at The Front, 147 West San 
Ysidro Boulevard, San Diego, CA, 92173. Further information, including 
an electronic copy of the Final SEIS, may be found online on the 
following website: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-pacific-rim-region-9/land-ports-of-entry/san-ysidro-land-port-of-entry. 
Questions or comments concerning the Final SEIS should be directed to: 
Osmahn Kadri, Regional Environmental Quality Advisor/NEPA Project 
Manager, 50 United Nations Plaza, 3345, Mailbox #9, San Francisco, CA, 
94102, or via email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Osmahn Kadri, Regional Environmental 
Quality Advisor/NEPA Project Manager, GSA, at (415) 522-3617. Please 
also call this number if special assistance is needed to attend and 
participate in the public meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The SEIS for the San Ysidro LPOE Improvements Project is intended 
to supplement the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was 
adopted for the San Ysidro LPOE Improvements Project in August 2009 
(2009 Final EIS). In September 2009, GSA prepared a Record of the 
Decision (ROD) that approved the Preferred Alternative (2009 Approved 
Project) that was identified in the 2009 Final EIS. In May 2014, GSA 
adopted a Final SEIS that evaluated changed circumstances and proposed 
modifications to the 2009 Approved Project that identified a Preferred 
Alternative that was approved by GSA through a ROD in August 2014 (2014 
Approved Supplemental Project).
    In August 2015, GSA prepared a Revision to the 2014 Final SEIS to 
document minor design changes and provide specific information that was 
not available or known at the time when the 2009 Final EIS or 2014 
Final SEIS was prepared (2015 Revision). The 2009 Approved Project, 
2014 Approved Supplemental Project, and 2015 Revision are collectively 
referred to as the ``Approved Project.''
    This SEIS documents and evaluates changed circumstances and 
proposed modifications to the Approved Project since adoption of the 
2009 Final EIS and 2014 Final SEIS and preparation of the 2015 
Revision. The Approved Project with proposed modifications is referred 
to as the ``Revised Project.''
    The Approved Project and Revised Project entail the reconfiguration 
and expansion of the San Ysidro LPOE in three independent phases to 
improve overall capacity and operational efficiency at the LPOE. The 
San Ysidro LPOE is located along Interstate 5 (I-5) at the U.S.-Mexico 
border in the San Ysidro community of the City of San Diego, 
California.
    GSA is proposing the following changes to the Approved Project: A 
redesign of the proposed pedestrian plaza on the east side of the LPOE. 
The pedestrian plaza would be expanded to the north to include an 
additional parcel adjacent to the LPOE. GSA proposes acquisition of the 
adjacent 0.24-acre parcel to the north that contains two commercial 
buildings and incorporation of this parcel (Additional Land Area) into 
the pedestrian plaza. In addition to these proposed changes to the 
Approved Project, the Revised Project also includes the other 
components of the

[[Page 2872]]

Approved Project that have not changed.
    The changed circumstances associated with the Approved Project 
include new information regarding the condition of existing structures 
adjacent to the LPOE that affect the ability of GSA to implement the 
Approved Project. The Approved Project anticipated that construction of 
the pedestrian plaza would require demolition of the existing Milo 
Building within the LPOE. During final design, it was discovered that 
two existing buildings adjacent to the Milo Building on the Additional 
Land Area would likely collapse when the Milo Building is removed. The 
condition of these adjacent buildings was not known at the time the 
2009 Final EIS or 2014 Final SEIS were prepared and this changed 
circumstance has bearing on the ability to implement the Approved 
Project.
    Due to the changed circumstances and changes to the Approved 
Project, GSA made the decision to prepare an SEIS for the Revised 
Project.
    The purpose of the Revised Project is the same as the Approved 
Project that was identified in the 2009 Final EIS and 2014 Final SEIS. 
The purpose of the Revised Project is to improve operational 
efficiency, security, and safety for cross-border travelers and federal 
agencies at the San Ysidro LPOE.
    The Draft SEIS analyzed two alternatives of the Revised Project, as 
well as the No Action Alternative. Both of the Action Alternatives 
include the proposed modifications described above, as well as the 
other improvements originally proposed as part of the Approved Project. 
Alternative 1 would include demolition of the two existing buildings 
within the Additional Land Area that would be added to the LPOE and 
incorporated into the pedestrian plaza. Alternative 2 would involve 
renovation/adaptive reuse of the existing buildings on the Additional 
Land Area that would be added to the LPOE and incorporated into the 
design of the pedestrian plaza and LPOE. Under the No Action 
Alternative, GSA would continue to implement the Approved Project 
except that the Milo Building would not be demolished.
    The Draft SEIS was made publicly available on September 24, 2018 
for a 45-day period. The Notice of Availability for the Draft SEIS was 
published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2018. A public 
meeting took place on October 17, 2018 in the San Ysidro community. In 
preparing this Final SEIS, GSA considered public comments received 
regarding the Draft SEIS during the public review period.
    After careful consideration of the environmental analysis and 
associated environmental effects of the action alternatives and No 
Action Alternative, the needs of the federal agencies operating at the 
San Ysidro LPOE, and comments received on the Draft SEIS, GSA 
identified Alternative 1 as the Preferred Alternative.
    This Alternative would best satisfy the Purpose and Need of the 
Revised Project and would result in greater benefits to cross-border 
circulation and mobility within the project area compared to 
Alternative 2.

    Dated: February 4, 2019.
Matthew Jear,
Director, Portfolio Management Division, Pacific Rim Region, Public 
Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-01690 Filed 2-7-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-YF-P