[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 84 (Friday, May 2, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18858-18859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07646]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[Notice-PBS-2025-02; Docket No.2025-0002; Sequence No.4]
Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Record of Decision (ROD) for
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Prepared on the Proposed
Modernization of the Bridge of the Americas Land Port of Entry (LPOE),
El Paso, Texas
AGENCY: Office of Public Buildings Service (PBS), General Services
Administration (GSA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The GSA, in cooperation with the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission
and in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared on the proposed
modernization of the BOTA LPOE in El Paso, Texas.
DATES: Applicable: Friday, April 25, 2025.
ADDRESSES: The Final EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) are available on
the GSA project website at: gsa.gov/bota under Project News.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla R. Carmichael, NEPA Program
Manager, Environmental, Fire and Safety & Health Branch, GSA/PBS,
Facilities Management and Services Programs Division, 819 Taylor St.,
Fort Worth, TX 76102 or via telephone at 817-822-1372.
Email: bota.nepacomments@gsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Bridge of the Americas is a port of entry for vehicles and
pedestrians crossing the U.S.-Mexico border between El Paso, Texas and
Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The port is
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operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) and is a full-service, multi-modal facility
where CBP officers inspect commercially owned vehicles (COVs),
privately owned vehicles (POVs), and pedestrians.
CBP's priority mission is homeland security, with responsibilities
for improving security at and between U.S. ports of entry (POEs), as
well as extending the zone of security beyond the physical borders of
the U.S. While carrying out its mission, CBP facilitates legitimate
trade and travel through the Nation's borders in an effective and
efficient manner.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the proposed action is for the GSA to support CBPs
mission by bringing the BOTA LPOE infrastructure in line with current
CBP land port design standards and operational requirements while
addressing existing deficiencies identified with ongoing port
operations. In order to bring the BOTA LPOE in line with CBP's design
standards and operational requirements, action is needed to satisfy the
following overriding needs:
Improve the capacity and functionality of the LPOE to meet
future public demand, while maintaining the capability to meet border
security initiatives.
Ensure the safety and security for the employees and the
travelling public.
Proposed Action and Alternatives Development
As part of project planning, the GSA developed two (2) action
alternatives as potential means of implementing the proposed action.
The no action alternative was also considered in the EIS. Both action
alternatives include the phased razing of all existing buildings/
structures and infrastructure within the existing LPOE boundaries and
construction of new buildings/structures and supporting infrastructure.
Both action alternatives also include minimal land acquisition in areas
immediately adjacent to the port.
Summary of Potential Impacts
The EIS identified, described, and analyzed the potential effects
of the action alternatives developed to implement the proposed action
and the no action alternative and documented measures that could
potentially avoid, minimize, or mitigate any identified adverse
impacts.
GSA's Preferred Alternative and Environmentally Preferable Alternative
GSA considered the findings in the Final EIS, stakeholder input,
all public comments, and tenant needs at the LPOE to determine the
preferred alternative, including the environmentally preferable
alternative, and has selected:
Viable Action Alternative 4--Multi-Level Modernization within the
Existing Port Boundaries with Minor Land Acquisition Immediately
Adjacent to the Port (4 acres--TxDOT) and Elimination of All Commercial
Cargo Operations which includes the following rationale.
Balancing likely adverse impacts (both short- and long-
term) to the City of El Paso, El Paso County, the communities,
residents, and citizens in the immediate vicinity of the BOTA LPOE and
those near the other LPOEs that would likely receive commercial cargo
traffic in the future.
The likely impacts (both short- and long-term) to the
overall trucking/trade industry in the region.
The need to support CBP's mission by bringing the BOTA
LPOE facilities in line with current CBP land port design standards
(i.e., CBP Land Port of Entry Design Standard [CBP 2023]) and
operational requirements while addressing existing deficiencies
identified with the ongoing port operations.
The overall need to improve operational efficiency,
effectiveness, security, and safety for the CBP staff and cross-border
travelers at the BOTA LPOE.
This decision also takes into account concerns voiced by the public
which were primarily centered around commercial truck traffic at the
port and the associated noise and air quality impacts to nearby
residents. GSA's data collection and analysis as presented in the Final
EIS demonstrates that there are likely existing environmental impacts
in the vicinity of the BOTA LPOE. These largely relate to traffic
(primarily commercial truck traffic) and the resulting effect on both
local and regional air quality and increases in noise. Furthermore,
GSA's data collection and analysis indicates that should the No Action
Alternative or Action Alternative 1a be chosen for implementation,
these existing conditions would likely degrade further over time. GSA's
data collection and analysis for Action Alternative 4 results in no
furtherance of any existing impacts and represents a likely positive
move in correcting these conditions over time.
Aaron Bollinger,
Acting Director, Facilities Management Division (7PM), General Services
Administration-Public Building Service, Greater Southwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2025-07646 Filed 5-1-25; 8:45 am]
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