Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Alcan Land Port of Entry Expansion and Modernization in Alcan, Alaska, 72843-72844 [2024-19122]

Agencies

• General Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 173 (Friday, September 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72843-72844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19122]



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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-P-2024-01; Docket No. 2024-0002; Sequence No. 37]


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Alcan Land Port of Entry Expansion and Modernization in Alcan, 
Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that analyzes the potential 
environmental effects from the proposed expansion and modernization of 
the Alcan Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Alcan, Alaska.

DATES: The FEIS Wait Period begins with publication of this NOA in the 
Federal Register and will last for 30 days until October 7, 2024. 
Comments related to the FEIS must be received by the last day of the 
Wait Period (see ADDRESSES section of this NOA for how to submit 
comments). After the Wait Period, GSA will select an alternative and 
issue the Record of Decision (ROD).

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Alcan LPOE FEIS may be submitted by one of 
the following methods:
     Mail: U.S. General Services Administration, Attention: 
Aaron Evanson, Capital Project Manager, 1301 A Street, Suite 610, 
Tacoma, WA 98402.
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``Alcan FEIS'' in the 
subject line.
    Comments sent by any other method or to any other address or 
individual may not be considered by GSA. All comments received are part 
of the public record. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, 
address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise 
sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be 
publicly accessible. GSA will accept anonymous comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aaron Evanson, Capital Project 
Manager, [email protected] or 206-445-5876.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Alcan LPOE is located at Milepost 1221.8 
on the Alaska Highway, 0.43 miles from the U.S./Canada Border. The 
existing Alcan 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 Alcan LPOE is the only 24-hour port serving privately-owned 
vehicles (POVs) and commercial traffic between the Yukon Territory, 
Canada, and mainland Alaska. GSA is the lead agency for this EIS and 
the Native Village of Northway is a cooperating agency. Additional 
information and an electronic copy of the FEIS may be found at 
www.gsa.gov/alcan.
    GSA proposes to build an expanded and modernized LPOE and new 
housing units at Alcan, Alaska, to replace the existing facilities. The 
FEIS describes the purpose and need for the proposed project, the 
alternatives considered, the existing environment that could be 
affected, the potential impacts resulting from each of the 
alternatives, and proposed best management practices and mitigation 
measures.
    GSA evaluated two alternatives in the FEIS: (1) Alternative 1, 
which involves the construction of a new, expanded replacement LPOE at 
the existing LPOE site, and (2) the No Action Alternative, which 
assumes the existing LPOE would continue to operate under current 
conditions and the construction of a new or expanded LPOE would not 
occur. GSA's preferred alternative is Alternative 1, which is also the 
environmentally preferred alternative.
    The purpose of the project is to provide an updated LPOE to support 
CBP's mission. Accomplishing this purpose would increase operational 
efficiency, effectiveness, security, sustainability, safety, and 
comfort for cross-border travelers and federal employees at the Alcan 
LPOE. The project is needed to update the current facilities which are 
over 50 years old and cannot effectively support CBP infrastructure, 
enforcement operations, public and employee safety, and housing needs.
    GSA identified one action alternative that meets the stated purpose 
and need of the proposed project and thus has been analyzed in detail 
in the FEIS. Alternative 1 consists of expanding and modernizing the 
existing Alcan LPOE and would include: site preparation and grading; 
construction of a new Main LPOE Building, enclosed inspection vehicle 
spaces, new housing units with improved security measures, an indoor 
firing range, and a helicopter landing zone; and demolition of the 
existing LPOE structures. GSA would need authorization for use of up to 
6.5 acres extending into the Tetlin NWR for the proposed helicopter 
landing zone.
    All facility and infrastructure improvements proposed under 
Alternative 1 would incorporate a sustainable, climate-resilient, 
cyber-secure, and operationally efficient design. GSA would seek to 
meet or exceed energy and sustainability goals established by federal 
guidelines and policies, along with industry standard building codes 
and best practices.
    There would be approximately 15 acres of temporary ground 
disturbance and 5 acres of permanent ground disturbance under 
Alternative 1. Approximately 5 acres would be used as a staging area 
during construction. There are currently 8 acres of impermeable 
surfaces at the LPOE; expansion and modernization would add 
approximately 4 acres of impervious surfaces. Given the seasonal 
constraints of construction work in Alaska, Alternative 1 would likely 
follow a six-year implementation timeline, which would be phased to 
avoid disruption to LPOE operations.
    GSA also evaluated a No Action alternative, which assumes that 
expansion or modernization of the LPOE would not occur and that port 
operations would continue under current conditions. The No Action 
alternative does not meet the stated purpose and need of the proposed 
project.
    The FEIS addresses the potential environmental impacts of the 
alternatives on environmental resources including land use; geology, 
topography, and soils; water resources; biological resources; cultural 
and tribal resources; environmental justice; socioeconomics; 
recreation; visual resources; noise and vibrations; solid and hazardous 
waste and materials; and climate change. Based on the analysis 
presented in the FEIS, which considered and incorporated input from the 
public comments received on the Draft EIS, impacts for all resource 
areas would be less-than-significant (i.e., negligible, minor, or 
moderate). Measures to reduce potential adverse effects are presented 
in the FEIS.
    The FEIS was prepared in compliance with the NEPA, as amended (42 
United States Code [U.S.C.] et seq.), which requires federal agencies 
to examine the impacts of their proposed projects or actions on the 
human and natural environment and consider alternatives to the proposal 
before deciding on taking an action. The FEIS complies with the 2020 
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations (40 Code of 
Federal Regulations [CFR] Sec.  1500-1508), as modified by the Phase I 
2022 revisions. The effective date of the 2022 revisions was May 20, 
2022, and reviews that began after this date are required to apply the 
2020 regulations as modified by the Phase I revisions unless there is a 
clear and fundamental conflict with an applicable statute. The EIS 
effort began on January 10, 2023, and accordingly proceeds under the 
2020 regulations as

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modified by the Phase I revisions. In addition, the FEIS also complies 
with the GSA Public Buildings Service NEPA Desk Guide and other 
relevant federal and state laws and regulations and executive orders 
and integrates the consultation processes required under Section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act and Section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act with the NEPA process.

Anamarie Crawley,
Director, R10 Facilities Management Division Northwest/Arctic Region 10 
U.S. General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-19122 Filed 9-5-24; 8:45 am]
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