Notice of Availability for a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Floodplain Assessment and Statement of Findings for the International Falls Land Port of Entry Modernization and Expansion Project in International Falls, Minnesota, 26884-26885 [2024-07949]

Agencies

• General Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26884-26885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07949]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-PBS-2024-04; Docket No. 2024-0002; Sequence No. 9]


Notice of Availability for a Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement and Floodplain Assessment and Statement of Findings 
for the International Falls Land Port of Entry Modernization and 
Expansion Project in International Falls, Minnesota

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA); Public Notice of Floodplain 
Assessment and Statement of Findings.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), which examines 
potential environmental impacts from the modernization and expansion of 
the International Falls Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in International 
Falls, Minnesota. The existing International Falls LPOE is owned and 
managed by GSA and is operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Final SEIS 
describes the purpose and need for the project; alternatives 
considered; the existing environment that could be affected; the 
potential impacts resulting from each of the alternatives; and proposed 
mitigation commitments. The Final SEIS also includes a Floodplain 
Assessment and Statement of Findings as a result of construction in a 
floodplain at the International Falls LPOE. Based on impacts analyses 
and public comments, GSA has identified Alternative 1 (Full Build) as 
described in the Final SEIS as its preferred alternative. Alternative 1 
has also been identified as the environmentally preferred alternative.

DATES: The Final SEIS Wait Period begins with publication of this NOA 
in the Federal Register and will last until Monday, May 20, 2024. 
Written comments must be received by the last day of the Wait Period 
(see ADDRESSES section of this NOA on how to submit comments). After 
the Wait Period, GSA will issue the Record of Decision (ROD).

ADDRESSES: Members of the public may submit comments by one of the 
following methods. All comments will be considered equally and will be 
part of the public record.
     Email: [email protected]. Please include 
`International Falls LPOE SEIS' in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: ATTN: Michael Gonczar, International Falls LPOE 
SEIS; U.S. General Services Administration, Region 5; 230 S. Dearborn 
Street, Suite 3600, Chicago, IL 60604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments on the Final 
SEIS should be directed to: Michael Gonczar, NEPA Program Manager, GSA, 
at 312-810-2326, or via email to [email protected]. See ADDRESSES 
section of this NOA on how to submit comments.
    Additional information and an electronic copy of the Final SEIS, 
may be found online on the following website: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/gsa-regions/region-5-great-lakes/buildings-and-facilities/minnesota/international-falls-land-port-of-entry.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final SEIS has considered previous input 
provided during the scoping and Draft SEIS comment periods.

Background

    The existing 1.6-acre LPOE is located on the south bank of the 
Rainy River and serves as the port of entry to people and vehicles 
crossing the International Bridge that connects International Falls, 
Minnesota to the town of Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. The 
International Falls Land Port of Entry Improvements Study Final EIS, 
released in 2011, assessed the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action of replacing the undersized 
International Falls LPOE with a new LPOE facility ``to improve safety, 
security, and functionality.'' A total of ten build alternatives were 
considered, and a preferred action alternative was identified. This 
alternative would

[[Page 26885]]

consist of demolishing the existing building, constructing new 
facilities at the existing LPOE, and expanding the LPOE to meet the 
required space standards and increased security requirements of the 
Federal Inspection Services. This alternative would move the majority 
of the LPOE improvements and operations to an approximately 20-acre 
site southeast of the existing site between 4th Street and Rainy River. 
GSA signed and released a ROD in January 2012 that identified a 
preferred alternative as it best satisfied the purpose and needs of the 
project with the least overall adverse impacts to the environment. The 
ROD stated that the preferred alternative would have less-than-
significant impacts on the natural and social environment of the study 
area and International Falls, including minor changes or impacts to 
surface water, surface water runoff, traffic, increased lighting, and 
hazardous substances.
    Since 2011, GSA has identified the following changes to the 
project, which differ from the preferred alternative described in the 
2011 EIS:
     There have been proposed changes in tenants and use of the 
space. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture/Animal Plant Health Inspection Services/-Plant Protection 
and Quarantine (USDA/APHIS-PPQ) will need space and facilities at the 
LPOE.
     The Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) has acquired 
Boise, Inc. and has a different timber unloading operation occurring 
adjacent to the proposed acquisition parcel, which will require 
modifications to the original site plan at the LPOE and offsite on PCA 
lands.
     A section of First Creek between Route 11 and the Rainy 
River that was previously contained in a culvert was identified 
following the 2011 EIS. The culvert has been removed and is now 
daylighted, requiring impacts analysis.
     There has been an increase in the proposed usable square 
feet (USF) for overall building space needed, based on the addition of 
a maintenance building and expansion in the sizes of all other 
buildings per updated agency requirements.
     Stormwater management would be redesigned in the 300-foot 
section of First Creek due to two new areas of pavement crossing the 
creek or installation of a new culvert.
     The Resolute Paper Mill in Fort Frances, Ontario has since 
closed and rail traffic across the bridge has ceased.
     New renewable energy technologies are being considered for 
implementation at the expanded and modernized LPOE, including solar and 
geothermal technologies.
     New LPOE access points for privately owned vehicles (POVs) 
and pedestrians are being considered. After publication of the Draft 
SEIS, the proposed location of the LPOE access point for POVs and 
pedestrians shifted from a point on Highway 53 and 2nd Street to points 
located near or at the proposed commercially owned vehicle (COV) access 
point on State Route 11 due to site constraints.
    GSA has prepared a Final SEIS to assess the potential impacts of 
these updates, which were not assessed in the 2011 EIS.

Alternatives Under Consideration

    The Proposed Action, defined as Alternative 1 (Full Build) in the 
Final SEIS and GSA's preferred alternative, would consist of 
modernization and expansion of existing International Falls LPOE 
facilities as previously considered in the 2011 EIS, but to consider 
the above project changes. GSA also considered the No Action 
Alternative, which assumes that GSA would not expand or modernize the 
International Falls LPOE.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is for GSA to support CBP's 
mission by bringing the International Falls LPOE operations in line 
with current land port design standards and operational requirements of 
CBP while addressing existing deficiencies identified with the ongoing 
port operations. Generally, the deficiencies described in the 2011 EIS 
remain at the LPOE. The deficiencies fall into two broad categories: 
deficiencies in the overall site layout and substandard building 
conditions. Therefore, in order to bring the International Falls LPOE 
operations in line with CBP's design standards and operational 
requirements, the Proposed Action is needed to (1) improve the capacity 
and functionality of the International Falls LPOE to meet future 
demand, while maintaining the capability to meet border security 
initiatives; (2) address spatial and layout constraints that lead to 
traffic congestion and safety issues for the employees and users of the 
LPOE; and (3) provide adequate space and facilities for the federal 
agencies to accomplish their missions.
    The Final SEIS addresses the potential environmental impacts of the 
proposed alternatives on environmental resources including geology and 
soils, water resources, biological resources, air quality, noise, 
transportation and traffic, land use and visual resources, 
infrastructure and utilities, socioeconomics, cultural resources, human 
health and safety, and environmental justice. Additionally, findings 
from maritime and terrestrial surveys are included in the cultural 
resources discussion, and findings from the Phase II Environmental Site 
Assessment are included in the human health and safety discussion. 
Based on the analysis presented in the Final SEIS, adverse impacts to 
transportation and traffic, land use and visual resources, and human 
health and safety may experience major adverse impacts due to an 
increase in traffic conflicts between vehicles and bikers/pedestrians 
along the Rainy Lake Bike Trail. Impacts for the remaining resource 
areas would be less-than-significant (i.e., negligible, minor, or 
moderate), adverse or beneficial. Impact reduction measures to reduce 
potential adverse effects are presented in the Final SEIS.
    GSA is currently undergoing formal consultation with the State 
Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and consulting parties to follow 
coordination procedures as required under Section 106 of the NHPA to 
determine impacts to historic properties. Mitigation measures may be 
determined in consultation between GSA, SHPO, and applicable consulting 
parties.
    Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), GSA coordinated with the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) per Section 7 requirements to 
determine effects to federally protected species. There would be no 
adverse effects to federally threatened or endangered species. 
Correspondence with USFWS and the findings are incorporated in the 
Final SEIS.
    The Proposed Action would take place within the 1-percent-annual-
chance floodplain and 0.2-percent-annual-chance floodplain at the 
International Falls LPOE. In compliance with Executive Order 11988 
(Floodplain Management), GSA prepared a Floodplain Assessment and 
Statement of Findings addressing potential impacts on floodplains, 
which is included in the Final SEIS. As described in the Final SEIS, 
GSA would follow federal, state, and local regulatory compliance 
requirements and incorporate design standards at the International 
Falls LPOE to minimize impacts to floodplains.

William Renner,
Director, Facilities Management and Services Programs Division, Great 
Lakes Region 5, U.S. General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-07949 Filed 4-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-CF-P