2 July 2010

http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-16392_PI.pdf

[FR Doc. 2010-16392 Filed 07/02/2010 at 8:45 am; Publication Date: 07/06/2010] 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION 

Notice of Intent To Prepare Four Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements 
for the Northern Border Between the United States and Canada and To Conduct 
Public Scoping Meetings. 

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements; 
Request for Comments; and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings. 

SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intends to prepare four 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) to identify and assess potential 
impacts upon the human environment of ongoing and potential future border security 
activities for the Northern Border between the United States and Canada. The anticipated 
area of study will extend approximately 100 miles south of the Northern Border. The 
four PEISs will address regions encompassing New England, the Great Lakes, states east 
of the Rocky Mountains, and states west of the Rocky Mountains. 

This notice initiates the public scoping process for preparation of the PEISs. The 
purpose of the scoping process is to solicit public comments regarding the potential 
environmental impacts that may be addressed. This notice announces that CBP is 
requesting written comments and conducting public scoping meetings. 

Additionally, the scoping process will allow CBP to gather information and allow 
the public to participate in consideration of historic preservation activities pursuant to 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for activities along the Northern 
Border. 

DATES: The scoping comment period will be 30 days beginning on the date this 
document is published in the Federal Register. To ensure consideration, comments must 
be received by [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS FROM DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE 
FEDERAL REGISTER]. Comments may be submitted as set forth in the ADDRESSES 
section of this document. Public scoping meetings will be held on various dates in July, 
2010, as described in the ADDRESSES section of this document. 

ADDRESSES: The following electronic and physical addressees are available for the 
public and other interested parties to provide written comments on the scope of the PEISs 
or to obtain additional information on the PEISs. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for additional instructions for submitting written comments. To avoid 
duplication, please use only one of the following methods for providing written 
comments: 

(a) Via the World Wide Web at: www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com; or 
(b) Via e-mail at: comments@NorthernBorderPEIS.com; or 
(c) Via mail: CBP Northern Border PEIS, P.O. Box 3625, McLean, Virginia, 
22102; or 
(d) Via fax: (703) 760-4899. 

CBP will hold public scoping meetings to obtain comments regarding the PEISs 
at the following locations: 

New England PEIS 

1) Augusta, ME on July 12, 2010 
2) Swanton, VT on July 13, 2010 

Great Lakes PEIS 

1) Rochester, NY on July 12, 2010 
2) Erie, PA on July 13, 2010 
3) Massena, NY on July 14, 2010 
4) Detroit, MI on July 21, 2010 
 
East of the Rocky Mountains PEIS 

1) Duluth, MN on July 19, 2010 
2) Minot, ND on July 21, 2010 
3) Havre, MT on July 22, 2010 
 
West of the Rocky Mountains PEIS 

1) Bellingham, WA on July 19, 2010 
2) Bonners Ferry, ID on July 21, 2010 

CBP will announce notice of the exact locations and times of the public meetings 
as well as other information about PEIS process through local newspapers, media, and 
the project Web site: www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hass, CBP, Office of 
Administration, telephone (202) 344-1929. You may also visit the Northern Border PEIS 
Web site at: www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) protects the nation’s borders from 
terrorism, human and drug smuggling, illegal migration, and agricultural pests while 
simultaneously facilitating the flow of legitimate travel and trade. CBP does so by 
integrating modern technology, deploying highly trained law enforcement personnel, and 
developing public and private sector partnerships that advance its overall mission. 

At 5,500 miles in length, the Northern Border of the United States stands as the 
longest common border in the world. The terrain ranges from densely forested lands on 
the west and east coasts to open plains in the middle of the country. To complement its 
efforts, CBP uses partnerships with other Federal, state, and local law enforcement 
agencies to meet the challenges of ensuring security while facilitating legitimate trade 
and travel along this expansive and complex border area. 

CBP leverages technology and partnerships to detect cross border incursions 
between the Ports of Entry (POEs) and, when necessary due to distances or challenging 
terrain, CBP uses an array of tools in interdiction efforts. At the POEs, CBP uses state of 
the art technology to efficiently screen the heavy volume of passengers and cargo 
transiting the U.S./Canada border to ensure that no illicit goods or travelers cross into the 
United States. 

Throughout the next five to seven years, CBP anticipates that it will implement 
enhancements to its border security activities. These may include installing or enhancing 
sensing equipment networks; changing patrol levels and areas; improving relationships 
among partner law enforcement agencies; increasing manned and unmanned aerial and 
maritime surveillance activities; improving cargo scanning techniques; developing and 
using enhanced communication technologies; and enhancing comprehensive response, 
interdiction, and detention capabilities. CBP may use, maintain, upgrade, or deploy 
various physical facilities and infrastructure, including, POEs, checkpoints, stations, 
water and power utilities, roads, hangers and helipads, boat ramps and docks, kennels, 
and communication and surveillance systems towers. Vehicles used by CBP may include 
ATVs, snowmobiles, marine vessels, and aircraft. CBP plans to deploy the most 
appropriate mix of security enhancement measures for the Northern Border based on the 
threat and on the constraints of the operating environment. 

In support of CBP’s mission and with an interest in understanding the array of 
environmental considerations along the border, CBP intends to prepare four 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) to analyze the environmental 
effects of current and potential future CBP border security activities along the Northern 
Border between the United States and Canada. CBP will prepare draft PEISs initially, to 
be followed, after a period of public comment, with final PEISs. Because this effort is 
“programmatic” in nature, the study will not seek to define effects for a specific or 
planned action. Instead, it will analyze the overall effects of activities supporting the 
homeland security mission of CBP. 

Purpose and Area of Study 

CBP will use the PEISs to improve planning of future actions to meet its 
homeland security requirements. CBP plans to evaluate the potential environmental 
effects of its activities conducted along the Northern Border between the United States 
and Canada, including an anticipated area of study extending approximately 100 miles 
south of the Northern Border. Because of the diversity of conditions from east to west, 
CBP intends to prepare four regional PEISs, covering the border environment for the 
following areas: 

1) New England region (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) 

2) Great Lakes region (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin) 

3) East of the Rocky Mountains region (Minnesota, North Dakota, and eastern 
Montana) 

4) West of the Rocky Mountains region (western Montana, Idaho and Washington) 

CBP plans to use the information derived from the analysis in the PEISs in 
management, planning, and decision-making for its mission and its environmental 
stewardship responsibilities, as well as to establish a foundation for future impact 
analyses. 

Public Scoping Process 

This notice initiates the public scoping process in preparation of the PEISs. All 
interested parties are invited to participate in the scoping process. CBP invites agencies, 
organizations, and the general public to provide input to this process of scoping 
environmental issues for consideration in the PEISs. CBP welcomes input on potentially 
significant environmental issues associated with the uses of technologies, facilities, 
infrastructure, and personnel for border security described above in the Background 
section or other connected actions to be addressed in the PEISs. Comments may be in 
terms of broad areas or restricted to specific areas of concern. Written comments may be 
submitted as described in the ADDRESSES section of this document. When submitting 
comments, please identify the region or PEIS of concern to which your comments are 
related, as well as your name and address. Respondents may request to withhold names 
or street addresses, except for city or town, from public view or from disclosure under the 
Freedom of Information Act. Such a request must be stated prominently at the beginning 
of the comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. This 
request to withhold personal information does not apply to submissions from 
organizations or businesses, or from individuals identifying themselves as representatives 
or officials of organizations or businesses. 

As part of the scoping process, CBP will hold 11 public scoping meetings. The 
purpose of these meetings is to obtain input concerning the range of environmental 
considerations for inclusion within the PEISs. These meetings will be held at locations 
near the Northern Border in the early evening at the locations listed under ADDRESSES 
above. The public is encouraged to communicate information and comments on issues it 
believes CBP should address in the PEISs. CBP will announce notice of the exact 
locations and times of the public meetings as well as other information about its Northern 
Border security activities through local newspapers, media, and the project Web site: 
www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. 

After the public scoping period is complete and CBP has reviewed the results, a 
compilation list of comments will be included in a scoping report, which will be made 
available on the project Web site: www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. This report will not 
identify individual citizens’ comments by name or address. The report will also be made 
available upon written request. 

Public Involvement in Historic Preservation Activities Under Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act 

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f) requires 
Federal agencies to review all actions which may affect resources listed on, or eligible 
for, the National Register of Historic Places in order to take into account the effects of 
their undertakings on historic properties and to afford the Advisory Council on Historic 
Preservation (ACHP) a reasonable opportunity to comment on such undertakings. 
During the scoping process, CBP plans to gather information and allow the public to 
express views regarding the effects of CBP programs on cultural resources. During the 
process of public scoping and preparation of the PEISs for the Northern Border, CBP 
seeks to identify interested parties and obtain public comments on historic preservation 
issues related to CBP activities along the Northern Border. 

Next Steps 

This process is being conducted pursuant to NEPA, the Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations for Implementing the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and 
Department of Homeland Security Directive 023-01 (renumbered from 5100.1), 
Environmental Planning Program of April 19, 2006. CBP will continue to announce 
information on exact locations and times of public meetings as well as project 
information through local newspapers and the project Web site: 
www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. In accordance with NEPA, the draft PEISs will be 
made available to the public for review and comment through a Notice of Availability 
(NOA) in the Federal Register. The NOA will provide directions for obtaining copies 
of the draft PEISs as well as dates and locations for any associated public participation 
meetings. After a public comment period on the draft PEIS, CBP will complete a final 
PEIS. 

Date: June 30, 2010 

______________________ 
Gregory Giddens 
Executive Director 
Facilities Management and Engineering 
Office of Administration 

[FR Doc. 2010-16392 Filed 07/02/2010 at 8:45 am; Publication Date: 07/06/2010]