[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8429-8430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02429]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2024-02; Docket No. 2024-0002; Sequence No.3]


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Alcan Land Port of Entry Expansion and Modernization in Alcan, 
Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; announcement of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), GSA has prepared a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) to analyze the potential environmental effects 
of the proposed expansion and modernization of the existing Alcan LPOE. 
The Alcan LPOE is located at Milepost 1221.8 on the Alaska Highway, 
0.43 miles from the U.S./Canada Border. U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) operates this facility year-round in sub-arctic 
weather conditions. The Alcan LPOE is the only 24-hour port serving 
privately-owned vehicles (POVs) and commercial traffic between the 
Yukon Territory, Canada, and mainland Alaska. GSA proposes to build an 
expanded and modernized LPOE and new housing units at Alcan, Alaska, to 
replace the existing facilities. The DEIS describes the purpose and 
need for the proposed project, the alternatives considered, the 
existing environment that could be affected, the potential impacts 
resulting from each of the alternatives, and proposed best management 
practices and mitigation measures.

DATES: 
    Public Comment Period--Interested parties are invited to provide 
comments on the DEIS. The public comment period begins with the 
publication of this NOA in the Federal Register and will end on April 
11, 2024. Comments must be postmarked or received by the last day of 
the public comment period (see ADDRESSES section of this NOA for how to 
submit comments).
    Hearing Date--GSA will host a hybrid public hearing for the DEIS on 
Tuesday, March 12, 2024, starting at 6 p.m. Alaska Daylight Saving Time 
(AKDT). Interested parties are invited to attend the hearing in person 
at the Northway Community Center, Main Hall at 183 Circle Drive, 
Northway, AK 99764 or participate online via the Zoom platform. Refer 
to the ADDRESSES section of this NOA for additional details on the 
public hearing location and registration.

ADDRESSES: The DEIS can be viewed or downloaded from the GSA website at 
www.gsa.gov/Alcan. Comments on the Alcan LPOE DEIS will be accepted 
until April 11,2024, and may be submitted by one of the following 
methods:
     Mail: Written comments must be postmarked by April 11, 
2024. Address all physical mail to: U.S. General Services 
Administration, Attention: Aaron Evanson, Capital Project

[[Page 8430]]

Manager, 1301 A Street, Suite 610, Tacoma, WA 98402
     Email: Submit your comments via email to 
[email protected]. Include ``Alcan DEIS'' in the subject line of the 
message.
     Public Hearing: Verbal and written comments will be 
accepted during the hybrid public hearing on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 
starting at 6 p.m. AKDT. The public hearing will begin with a 
presentation including an overview of the NEPA process and the proposed 
project as well as the findings of the DEIS. Following the 
presentation, there will be a moderated session during which members of 
the public participating either virtually or in person will be able to 
provide comments verbally or in writing. A link to register to attend 
the public meeting virtually, via Zoom, is available at www.gsa.gov/Alcan. Members of the public may attend the meeting in person at 
Northway Community Center, Main Hall, 183 Circle Drive, Northway, AK 
99764.
    Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or 
individual, or received after the end of the comment period may not be 
considered by GSA. All comments received are part of the public record. 
All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information 
submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. GSA 
will accept anonymous comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aaron Evanson, Capital Project 
Manager, (206) 445-5876, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GSA identified one action alternative that 
meets the stated purpose and need of the proposed project and thus has 
been analyzed in detail in the DEIS. GSA also analyzed a ``No Action'' 
alternative, which evaluates the effects that would occur if GSA 
continued to operate the LPOE under current conditions (i.e., the 
status quo).
    Alternative 1 consists of expanding and modernizing the existing 
Alcan LPOE. Alternative 1 would include: land acquisition; site 
preparation and grading; construction of a new Main LPOE Building, 
enclosed inspection vehicle spaces, new housing units with improved 
security measures, a firing range, and a helipad; and demolition of the 
existing LPOE structures. Land acquisition under Alternative 1 would 
expand the port to include up to 2.5 acres of land south of and across 
the Alaska Highway from the existing LPOE.
    All facility and infrastructure improvements proposed under 
Alternative 1 would incorporate a sustainable, climate-resilient, 
cyber-secure, and operationally efficient design. GSA would seek to 
meet or exceed energy and sustainability goals established by federal 
guidelines and policies, along with industry standard building codes 
and best practices.
    Based on CBP and GSA design standards, the total enclosed building 
area required for the modernized Alcan LPOE and housing would be 
129,145 square feet (sf) with an additional 3,820 sf of booths and 
canopies and 3,600 sf of outdoor parking and hard surfaces. Alternative 
1 would provide dual-purpose inspection lanes to allow for flexibility 
of inspection operations as well as enclosed spaces for secondary 
inspection of POVs and commercial vehicles. A modernized Main LPOE 
Building would also enhance the holding and interview capabilities of 
the Alcan LPOE to meet current CBP security standards.
    There would be approximately 15 acres of temporary ground 
disturbance and 5 acres of permanent ground disturbance under 
Alternative 1. Approximately 5 acres would be used as a staging area 
during construction. There are currently 8 acres of impermeable 
surfaces at the LPOE; expansion and modernization would add an 
estimated 4 additional acres of impervious surfaces.
    GSA and CBP are considering an option under Alternative 1 to pursue 
joint operation of the Alcan LPOE with the Canada Border Services 
Agency (CBSA). CBSA and CBP officers would jointly operate the facility 
to conduct inspections of U.S. commercial vehicles and POVs entering 
Canada; however, no housing would be provided for CBSA officers at 
Alcan. This option would not affect the design or CBP staffing of the 
expanded and modernized Alcan LPOE, nor contribute additional 
environmental impacts under the action alternative, and hence is not 
analyzed further in the DEIS. GSA also evaluated a No Action 
alternative, which assumes that expansion or modernization of the LPOE 
would not occur and that port operations would continue under current 
conditions. The No Action alternative does not meet the stated purpose 
and need of the proposed project.
    Classification: The DEIS was prepared in compliance with the NEPA, 
as amended (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] et seq.), which requires 
federal agencies to examine the impacts of their proposed projects or 
actions on the human and natural environment and consider alternatives 
to the proposal before deciding on taking an action. The DEIS complies 
with the 2020 Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations 
(40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500-1508), as modified by the 
Phase I 2022 revisions. The effective date of the 2022 revisions was 
May 20, 2022, and reviews that began after this date are required to 
apply the 2020 regulations as modified by the Phase I revisions unless 
there is a clear and fundamental conflict with an applicable statute. 
The DEIS effort began on January 10, 2023, and accordingly proceeds 
under the 2020 regulations as modified by the Phase I revisions. In 
addition, the DEIS also complies with the GSA Public Buildings Service 
NEPA Desk Guide and other relevant federal and state laws and 
regulations and executive orders and integrates the consultation 
processes required under Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act with the 
NEPA process.

Anamarie Crawley,
Director, R10 Facilities Management Division 10PM.
[FR Doc. 2024-02429 Filed 2-6-24; 8:45 am]
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