[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