[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 207 (Friday, October 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73853-73855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23490]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2023-06; Docket No. 2023-0002; Sequence No. 26]


Notice of Availability for a Draft Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement and Floodplain Assessment and Statement of Findings 
for the International Falls Land Port of Entry Modernization and 
Expansion Project in International Falls, Minnesota

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA); Announcement of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), which examines 
potential environmental impacts from the modernization and expansion of 
the International Falls Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in International 
Falls, Minnesota. The existing International Falls LPOE is owned and 
managed by GSA and is operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Draft SEIS 
describes the purpose and need for the project; alternatives 
considered; the existing environment that could be affected; the 
potential impacts resulting from each of the alternatives; and proposed 
best management practices and/or mitigation measures. The Draft SEIS 
also includes the Draft Finding of No Practicable Alternative (FONPA), 
which provides a floodplain assessment and statement of findings as a 
result of construction in a floodplain at the International Falls LPOE.

DATES: 
    Public Comment Period--Interested parties are invited to provide 
comments on the Draft SEIS and Floodplain Assessment and Statement of 
Findings. The Public Comment Period begins with

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publication of this NOA in the Federal Register and will last for 45 
days until December 11, 2023. Written comments must be received by the 
last day of the Public Comment Period (see ADDRESSES section of this 
NOA on how to submit comments). After the comment period, GSA will 
prepare the Final EIS.
    Hearing Date--GSA will host a hybrid virtual and in-person public 
hearing on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m., Central 
Standard Time (CST), where interested parties are invited to join and 
provide verbal or written comments on the Draft SEIS and Floodplain 
Assessment and Statement of Findings. The hearing will be primarily 
virtual in nature, although members of the public may attend at the 
Koochiching County Court Administration Building to view an online 
broadcast of the hearing in person (see ADDRESSES section for location 
address). Refer to the VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARING INFORMATION section of 
this NOA on how to access the online public hearing.

ADDRESSES: 
    Hearing Location--The public may attend the virtual hearing at the 
Koochiching County Court Administration building at 715 4th Street, 3rd 
Floor, International Falls, MN, 56649, to view the online presentation 
in-person. A GSA staff member will be available (in-person and 
virtually) to assist the public in providing public comments via the 
virtual platform.

Public Comments

    In addition to oral comments and written comments provided at the 
public hearing, members of the public may also submit comments by one 
of the following methods. All oral and written comments will be 
considered equally and will be part of the public record.
     Email: [email protected]. Please include 
`International Falls LPOE SEIS' in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: ATTN: Michael Gonczar, International Falls LPOE 
SEIS; U.S. General Services Administration, Region 5; 230 S Dearborn 
Street, Suite 3600, Chicago, IL 60604.

Virtual Public Hearing Information

    The hybrid virtual public hearing will begin with presentations on 
the NEPA and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) processes, which 
are being executed concurrently for this project, as well as an 
overview of the proposed project, and then will continue with the 
findings of the Draft SEIS. A copy of the presentation slideshow will 
be made available prior to the hearing at: https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/gsa-properties/land-ports-of-entry-and-the-bil/bipartisan-infrastructure-law-construction-project/minnesota. Following the 
presentation, there will be a moderated session during which members of 
the public can provide oral comments. Members participating virtually 
or attending in-person will be able to comment. Commenters will be 
allowed 3 minutes to provide comments. Comments will be recorded. 
Attendees can also provide written comments at the public hearing 
should they not wish to speak.
    Members of the public may join the Draft SEIS virtual public 
hearing by entering the Meeting ID: 847 2762 2357, using any of the 
below methods, or by using the following link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84727622357. Note that the hearing is best viewed through the Zoom 
app. Attendees are encouraged to download the Zoom app at the Zoom 
website (https://zoom.us) on their personal computer or on their mobile 
device and test their connection prior to the hearing to ensure best 
results.
     By personal computer (via the Zoom app)--Install the Zoom 
app at the Zoom website (https://zoom.us) and launch the Zoom app. 
Click `Join a Meeting' and enter the above Meeting ID. Follow the 
prompts to enter your name and email address to access the hearing; or
     By personal computer (via the Zoom website)--Using your 
computer's browser, go to the Zoom website at http://zoom.us/join and 
enter the above Meeting ID. Click `Join from your browser' and follow 
the prompts to enter your name; or
     By mobile device (via the Zoom mobile app)--Install and 
launch the Zoom app. Enter the above Meeting ID.
    Whether joining through the Zoom app or web browser, attendees 
should follow the prompts to connect their computer audio. Attendees 
are encouraged to connect through the `Computer Audio' tab and click 
`Join Audio by Computer' under the `Join Audio' button on the bottom of 
their screen. Users who do not have a computer microphone and wish to 
provide a comment during the hearing may connect by following the 
prompts under the `Phone Call' tab under the `Join Audio' button.
    For members of the public who do not have access to a personal 
computer, they may join the hearing audio by dialing the following 
number: 1-305-224-1968. When prompted, enter the following information: 
Meeting ID--847 2762 2357, followed by the pound (#) key; then press 
pound (#) again when prompted for a participant ID. Note, dialing in to 
the hearing is only necessary if you are not accessing the hearing 
through a personal computer or mobile app, or if you would like to 
provide oral comments during the hearing but do not have a computer 
microphone.
    The public hearing will be recorded, and all comments provided will 
become part of the formal record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Gonczar, NEPA Program Manager, 
GSA, 312-810-2326, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Comment Period

    The views and comments of the public are necessary in helping GSA 
in its decision-making process with impacts to environmental, cultural, 
and economic impacts. The public comment process will be accomplished 
through a hybrid virtual and in-person public hearing, direct mail 
correspondence to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, and 
to private organizations and citizens who have previously expressed, or 
are known to have, an interest in the project. The Draft SEIS has 
considered previous input provided during the scoping period.
    Background:
    The existing 1.6-acre LPOE is located on the south bank of the 
Rainy River and serves as the port of entry to people and vehicles 
crossing the International Bridge that connects International Falls, 
Minnesota to the town of Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. The 
International Falls Land Port of Entry Improvements Study Final EIS, 
released in 2011, assessed the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action of replacing the undersized 
International Falls LPOE with a new LPOE facility ``to improve safety, 
security, and functionality.'' A total of ten build alternatives were 
considered, and a preferred action alternative was identified. This 
alternative would consist of demolishing the existing building, 
constructing new facilities at the existing LPOE, and expanding the 
LPOE to meet the required space standards and increased security 
requirements of the Federal Inspection Services. This alternative would 
move the majority of the LPOE improvements and operations to an 
approximately 20-acre site southeast of the existing site between 4th 
Street and Rainy River. GSA signed and released a Record of Decision in 
January 2012 that identified a preferred alternative as it best 
satisfied the purpose and needs of the project with the least overall 
adverse impacts to

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the environment. The ROD stated that the preferred alternative would 
have less-than-significant impacts on the natural and social 
environment of the study area and International Falls, including minor 
changes or impacts to surface water, surface water runoff, traffic, 
increased lighting, and hazardous substances.
    Since 2011, GSA has identified the following changes to the 
project, which differ from the preferred alternative described in the 
2011 EIS:
     There have been proposed changes in tenants and use of the 
space. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer requires space 
at the LPOE; however, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal Plant 
Health Inspection Services/-Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA/
APHIS-PPQ), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will need space 
and facilities at the LPOE.
     The Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) has acquired 
Boise, Inc. and has a different timber unloading operation occurring 
adjacent to the proposed acquisition parcel, which will require 
modifications to the original site plan at the LPOE and offsite on PCA 
lands. This includes PCA's proposed trailer parking lot that was 
shifted further east (beyond First Creek) and includes a paved 90-
trailer parking lot for PCA, which will modify traffic patterns for the 
LPOE.
     A section of First Creek between Route 11 and the Rainy 
River that was previously contained in a culvert was identified 
following the 2011 EIS. The culvert has been removed and is now 
daylighted, requiring impacts analysis.
     There has been an increase in the proposed usable square 
feet (USF) for overall building space needed from 42,282 to 80,611, 
based on the addition of a maintenance building and expansion in the 
sizes of all other buildings per updated agency requirements.
     Stormwater management would be redesigned in the 300-foot 
section of First Creek due to two new areas of pavement crossing the 
creek.
     The Resolute Paper Mill in Fort Frances, Ontario has since 
closed and has decreased rail traffic.
     New renewable energy technologies are being considered for 
implementation at the expanded and modernized LPOE, including solar, 
geothermal, and river water cooling geothermal technologies.
    GSA has prepared a Draft SEIS to assess the potential impacts of 
these updates, which were not assessed in the 2011 EIS.
    Alternatives Under Consideration:
    The Proposed Action would comprise of modernization and expansion 
of existing International Falls LPOE facilities as previously 
considered in the 2011 EIS, but to consider the above project changes. 
GSA also considered the No Action Alternative, which assumes that GSA 
would not expand or modernize the International Falls LPOE.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is for GSA to support CBP's 
mission by bringing the International Falls LPOE operations in line 
with current land port design standards and operational requirements of 
CBP while addressing existing deficiencies identified with the ongoing 
port operations. Generally, the deficiencies described in the 2011 EIS 
remain at the LPOE. The deficiencies fall into two broad categories: 
deficiencies in the overall site layout and substandard building 
conditions. Therefore, in order to bring the International Falls LPOE 
operations in line with CBP's design standards and operational 
requirements, the Proposed Action is needed to (1) improve the capacity 
and functionality of the International Falls LPOE to meet future 
demand, while maintaining the capability to meet border security 
initiatives; (2) address spatial and layout constraints that lead to 
traffic congestion and safety issues for the employees and users of the 
LPOE; and (3) provide adequate space and facilities for the federal 
agencies to accomplish their missions.
    The Draft SEIS addresses the potential environmental impacts of the 
proposed alternatives on environmental resources including geology and 
soils, water resources, biological resources, air quality, noise, 
transportation and traffic, land use and visual resources, 
infrastructure and utilities, socioeconomics, cultural resources, human 
health and safety, and environmental justice. Based on the analysis 
presented in the Draft SEIS, impacts to all resource areas would be 
less-than-significant (i.e., negligible, minor, or moderate) adverse or 
beneficial. Impact reduction measures are presented in the Draft SEIS 
to reduce potential adverse effects.
    GSA is currently undergoing formal consultation with the State 
Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and consulting parties to follow 
coordination procedures as required under Section 106 of the NHPA to 
determine impacts to historic properties. Mitigation measures may be 
determined in consultation between GSA, SHPO, and applicable consulting 
parties.
    Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), GSA coordinated with USFWS 
per Section 7 requirements to determine effects to federally protected 
species. There would be no adverse effects to federally threatened or 
endangered species. Correspondence with USFWS and findings are 
incorporated in the Draft SEIS.
    The Proposed Action would take place within the 1-percent-annual-
chance floodplain (also referred to as the base flood or 100-year 
flood) and 0.2-percent-annual-chance floodplain (also referred to as 
the 500-year flood) at the International Falls LPOE. In compliance with 
Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management), GSA prepared a Draft 
FONPA addressing potential impacts on floodplains, which is included in 
the Draft SEIS for public review and comment. As described in the Draft 
SEIS, GSA would follow federal, state, and local regulatory compliance 
requirements and incorporate design standards at the International 
Falls LPOE to minimize impacts to floodplains.

William Renner,
Director, Facilities Management and Services Programs Division, Great 
Lakes Region 5, U.S. General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-23490 Filed 10-26-23; 8:45 am]
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