Notice of Issuance of a Presidential Permit to the cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, Texas, To construct, operate and maintain an international bridge, its approaches and facilities at the international boundary between the United States and Mexico

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 44078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20899]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of Mexican Affairs
[Public Notice No. 3110]


Notice of Issuance of a Presidential Permit to the cities of 
McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, Texas, To construct, operate and maintain 
an international bridge, its approaches and facilities at the 
international boundary between the United States and Mexico

AGENCY: Department of State.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of State has issued 
a Presidential Permit to the Cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, 
Texas, to construct, operate and maintain an international bridge, its 
approaches and facilities at the international boundary between the 
United States and Mexico (the ``Anzalduas International Crossing''). 
The permit was issued July 23, 1999, pursuant to the International 
Bridge Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 535 et seq.) and Executive Order 11423 of 
1968, as amended by Executive Order 12847 of 1993.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Presidential Permit may be obtained from Mr. 
David E. Randolph, Coordinator, U.S.-Mexico Border Affairs, Office of 
Mexican Affairs, Room 4258, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 
20520, telephone (202) 647-8529.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of the application by the Cities of 
McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, Texas, for a permit to build a new 
bridge, with access road, to be constructed across the Rio Grande river 
between McAllen, Texas, and Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was published 
in the Federal Register on December 22, 1992, at 57 FR 60832. The 
bridge will carry pedestrian, vehicular and commercial traffic, and is 
intended to serve growing neighborhoods on the west side of the 
McAllen-Reynosa area. As a condition for the Presidential Permit, the 
Cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission have agreed to begin 
construction of the bridge no earlier than April 1, 2003, and to open 
the bridge no earlier than January 1, 2005, unless prior to those dates 
the Secretary of State or the Secretary's delegate determines that the 
U.S. Congress has provided sufficient funds for construction, operation 
and support of the bridge.
    Furthermore, permanent cargo import facilities will be constructed 
beginning no earlier than January 1, 2015 unless prior to that date the 
average northbound cargo traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International 
Bridge reaches 15,000 vehicles per week.
    The application for the Presidential Permit was reviewed and 
approved by numerous federal, state and local agencies. The final 
application and environmental assessment, which resulted in a finding 
by the Department of State of no significant impact (``FONSI'') on the 
human environment, were reviewed and approved or accepted by the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service, General Services 
Administration, Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, 
Department of Commerce, U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal 
Highway Administration, Food and Drug Administration, International 
Boundary and Water Commission--U.S. Section, Department of Defense, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Department of State and appropriate 
Texas State Agencies: the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the 
Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Historical Commission and 
the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

    Dated: July 28, 1999.
David E. Randolph,
Coordinator, U.S.-Mexico Border Affairs, Office of Mexican Affairs.
[FR Doc. 99-20899 Filed 8-11-99; 8:45 am]
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