83 FR 48315 - Notice of Availability and Announcement of Public Meeting for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry Improvements Project, San Ysidro, California

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 185 (September 24, 2018)

This notice announces the availability, and opportunity for public review, and comment, of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), which examines the potential impacts of a proposal by the GSA, to reconfigure and expand the existing San Ysidro Land Port of Entry (LPOE) located at the United States (U.S.)-Mexico border in the City of San Diego community of San Ysidro, in San Diego County, California. The Draft SEIS 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 the proposed avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures related to those alternatives. As the lead agency for this undertaking, GSA is acting on behalf of its major tenant at this facility, the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 185 (Monday, September 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48315-48316]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20744]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2018-10; Docket No. 2018-0002; Sequence No. 26]


Notice of Availability and Announcement of Public Meeting for the 
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the San Ysidro 
Land Port of Entry Improvements Project, San Ysidro, California

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; announcement of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability, and opportunity for 
public review, and comment, of a Draft Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (SEIS), which examines the potential impacts of a 
proposal by the GSA, to reconfigure and expand the existing San Ysidro 
Land Port of Entry (LPOE) located at the United States (U.S.)-Mexico 
border in the City of San Diego community of San Ysidro, in San Diego 
County, California. The Draft SEIS 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 
the proposed avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures 
related to those alternatives. As the lead agency for this undertaking, 
GSA is acting on behalf of its major tenant at this facility, the 
Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection.

DATES: A public meeting for the Draft SEIS will be held on Wednesday, 
October 17, 2018 from 4:00 p.m., to 7:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time. 
Interested parties are encouraged to attend and provide written 
comments on the Draft SEIS. The comment period for the Draft SEIS ends 
on November 9, 2018.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at The Front, 147 West San 
Ysidro Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92173. Further information, including 
an electronic copy of the Draft SEIS, 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/san-ysidro-land-port-of-entry.
    Questions or comments concerning the Draft SEIS should be directed 
to: Osmahn Kadri, Regional Environmental Quality Advisor/NEPA Project 
Manager, 50 United Nations Plaza, 3345, Mailbox #9, San Francisco, CA 
94102, or via email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Osmahn Kadri, Regional Environmental 
Quality Advisor/NEPA Project Manager, GSA, at (415) 522-3617. Please 
also call this number if special assistance is needed to attend and 
participate in the public meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The SEIS for the San Ysidro LPOE Improvements Project is intended 
to supplement the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was 
adopted for the San Ysidro LPOE Improvements Project in August, 2009 
(2009 Final EIS). In September, 2009, GSA prepared a Record of the 
Decision (ROD) that approved the Preferred Alternative (2009 Approved 
Project) that was identified in the 2009 Final EIS.
    In May, 2014, GSA adopted a Final SEIS that evaluated changed 
circumstances and proposed modifications to the 2009 Approved Project 
that identified a Preferred Alternative that was approved by GSA 
through a ROD in August 2014 (2014 Approved Supplemental Project).
    In August, 2015, GSA prepared a Revision to the 2014 Final SEIS to 
document minor design changes and provide specific information that was 
not available or known at the time when the 2009 Final EIS or 2014 
Final SEIS was prepared (2015 Revision). The 2009 Approved Project, 
2014 Approved Supplemental Project, and 2015 Revision are collectively 
referred to as the ``Approved Project.''
    This SEIS documents and evaluates changed circumstances and 
proposed modifications to the Approved Project since adoption of the 
2009 Final EIS and 2014 Final SEIS and preparation of the 2015 
Revision. The Approved Project with proposed modifications is referred 
to as the ``Revised Project.''
    The Approved Project and Revised Project entail the reconfiguration 
and

[[Page 48316]]

expansion of the San Ysidro LPOE in three independent phases to improve 
overall capacity and operational efficiency at the LPOE. The San Ysidro 
LPOE is located along Interstate 5 (I-5) at the U.S.-Mexico border in 
the San Ysidro community of the City of San Diego, California.
    GSA is proposing the following changes to the Approved Project: A 
redesign of the proposed pedestrian plaza on the east side of the LPOE. 
The pedestrian plaza would be expanded to the north to include an 
additional parcel adjacent to the LPOE. GSA proposes acquisition of the 
adjacent 0.24-acre parcel to the north that contains two commercial 
buildings and incorporation of this parcel (Additional Land Area) into 
the pedestrian plaza. In addition to these proposed changes to the 
Approved Project, the Revised Project also includes the other 
components of the Approved Project that have not changed.
    The changed circumstances associated with the Approved Project 
include new information regarding the condition of existing structures 
adjacent to the LPOE that affect the ability of GSA to implement the 
Approved Project. The Approved Project anticipated that construction of 
the pedestrian plaza would require demolition of the existing Milo 
Building within the LPOE. During final design, it was discovered that 
two existing buildings adjacent to the Milo Building on the Additional 
Land Area would likely collapse when the Milo Building is removed. The 
condition of these adjacent buildings was not known at the time the 
2009 Final EIS or 2014 Final SEIS were prepared and this changed 
circumstance has bearing on the ability to implement the Approved 
Project.
    Due to the changed circumstances and changes to the Approved 
Project, GSA made the decision to prepare an SEIS for the Revised 
Project. The purpose of the Revised Project is the same as the Approved 
Project that was identified in the 2009 Final EIS and 2014 Final SEIS. 
The purpose of the Revised Project is to improve operational 
efficiency, security, and safety for cross-border travelers and federal 
agencies at the San Ysidro LPOE.
    The Draft SEIS analyzes two alternatives of the Revised Project, as 
well as the No Action Alternative. Both of the Action Alternatives 
include the proposed modifications described above, as well as the 
other improvements originally proposed as part of the Approved Project. 
Alternative 1 would include demolition of the two existing buildings 
within the Additional Land Area that would be added to the LPOE and 
incorporated into the pedestrian plaza. Alternative 2 would involve 
renovation/adaptive reuse of the existing buildings on the Additional 
Land Area that would be added to the LPOE and incorporated into the 
design of the pedestrian plaza and LPOE. Under the No Action 
Alternative, GSA would continue to implement the Approved Project 
except that the Milo Building would not be demolished.

Public Meeting

    The public meeting will be conducted in open house format, where 
project information will be presented and distributed. Comments must be 
received by November xx, 2018, and emailed to [email protected], or 
sent to the address listed above.

    Dated: September 12, 2018.
Matthew Jear,
Director, Portfolio Management Division, Pacific Rim Region, Public 
Buildings Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-20744 Filed 9-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-YF-P