[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3780-3781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02205]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2019-01; Docket No. 2019-0002; Sequence No. 1]


Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, San Diego, California

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

DATES: The comment period for the FEIS ends March 11th, 2019. After 
this date, GSA will prepare the Record of Decision

[[Page 3781]]

(ROD). A public meeting for the FEIS will be held on March 7th, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Further information, including an electronic copy of the 
FEIS, 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/otay-mesa-land-port-of-entry/otay-mesa-environmental-review. Questions or comments concerning the FEIS should be directed 
to: Osmahn Kadri, NEPA Project Manager, 50 United Nations Plaza, 3345 
Mailbox #9, San Francisco, CA 94102, or via email to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Otay Mesa LPOE is located approximately 
17 miles southeast of downtown San Diego, just north of the U.S. border 
and the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. When it was constructed in 
1983, its primary purpose was to divert growing commercial truck 
traffic from the increasingly busy San Ysidro LPOE to the west at the 
southern terminus of Interstate 5. The LPOE handles commercial and 
privately-owned vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Since the LPOE opened, 
vehicle and pedestrian traffic and the population and general 
development in the area have grown. It is now one of the ten busiest 
land ports in the country and is the busiest commercial port on the 
California-Mexico border, handling the second highest volume of trucks, 
and third highest dollar volume of trade among all U.S.-Mexico LPOEs. 
Ever-increasing traffic loads and new security initiatives require 
increased capacity and new inspection technology to be installed and 
implemented at the existing facilities.

Background

    The Project's purpose is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, 
security and safety at the existing Otay Mesa LPOE. The Project's need, 
or the need to which the GSA is responding, is to increase the LPOE's 
capacity due to increased demand, and to address public and employee 
safety and border security concerns.
    The FEIS considers two ``action'' alternatives and one ``no 
action'' alternative. The Preferred Alternative would include the 
development of an approximately 10-acre GSA-owned plot of land to the 
immediate east of the existing commercial import lot. The new lot would 
be used to construct commercial inspection buildings and additional 
commercial import lanes. Improvements to existing pedestrian lanes and 
personal vehicle inspection lanes; relocation of personnel currently 
housed in the Pedestrian, Commercial Import and Commercial Export 
buildings; renovation of existing facilities throughout the Otay Mesa 
LPOE; and demolition of facilities that would no longer be needed would 
also occur. New construction would include commercial import and exit 
booths, six additional pedestrian lanes in the Pedestrian Building, a 
Commercial Annex Building (CAB), a return-to-Mexico lane for commercial 
traffic, a pedestrian ramp and parking areas for the new commercial 
lot. Building renovations would include the installation of energy 
conservation measures and water conservation measures across the Otay 
Mesa LPOE, the correction of deficiencies throughout existing 
facilities (e.g., updating security systems, updating HVAC systems, 
improving lighting and repaving old asphalt surfaces), and refurbishing 
the interiors of the Pedestrian, Commercial Import and Commercial 
Export buildings including repainting and replacing flooring.
    The Reduced Build Alternative would include many of the same 
activities as under the Preferred Alternative; however, the overall 
activity level would be lower. Notably, no new construction would occur 
on the 10-acre GSA-owned plot of land, and the CAB would not be 
constructed; instead, the plot of land would be paved and used as 
additional space for the commercial vehicle inspection booths which 
would be reconfigured to increase traffic flow. Renovation of existing 
facilities would still occur, but activities would be limited to 
updating security and HVAC systems and repainting interiors.
    The No Action Alternative assumes that modernization and expansion 
of the existing LPOE would not occur and that a new facility would not 
be constructed adjacent to the existing LPOE. The LPOE would continue 
to operate under current conditions.

Public Meeting

    A public meeting for the FEIS will be held on Thursday, March 7th 
from 4 to 6 p.m. at: Holiday Inn Express and Suites San Diego, 2296 
Niels Bohr Court, San Diego, CA 92154, 619-710-0900.
    The meeting will be conducted in an open house format, where 
project information will be presented and distributed. Interested 
parties are encouraged to attend and provide written comments on the 
FEIS. Comments must be received by March 11th, 2019 and emailed to 
[email protected] or sent to: General Services Administration, 
Attention: Osmahn Kadri, NEPA Project Manager, 50 United Nations Plaza, 
3345 Mailbox #9, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Next Steps

    After comments are received from the public and reviewing agencies, 
GSA may 1. Give environmental approval to the Project by signing a ROD 
no sooner than 30 days after the FEIS is issued. In the ROD, GSA will 
explain all the factors that were considered in reaching its final 
decision, including the environmental factors. GSA will identify the 
environmentally preferable alternative or alternatives and may select 
one of the alternatives or a combination of alternatives analyzed in 
the EIS. 2. Undertake additional environmental studies, or 3. Abandon 
the Project.
    If the Project is given environmental approval and funding is 
appropriated, the GSA could design and construct all or part of the 
Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Osmahn A. Kadri, NEPA Project Manager, 
General Services Administration at 415-522-3617. Please also call this 
number if special assistance is needed to attend and participate in the 
public meeting.

    Dated: February 6, 2019.
Matthew Jear,
Director, Portfolio Management Division, Pacific Rim Region, Public 
Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-02205 Filed 2-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-YF-P