Notice of Availability for a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Floodplain Assessment and Statement of Findings for the Kenneth G. Ward (Lynden) and Sumas Land Ports of Entry (LPOE) Modernization and Expansion Projects in Lynden and Sumas, Washington, 90292-90293 [2024-26296]

Agencies

• General Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90292-90293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26296]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-P-2024-02; Docket No. 2024-0002; Sequence No. 52]


Notice of Availability for a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and Floodplain Assessment and Statement of Findings for the 
Kenneth G. Ward (Lynden) and Sumas Land Ports of Entry (LPOE) 
Modernization and Expansion Projects in Lynden and Sumas, Washington

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

ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which examines potential 
environmental impacts from the modernization and expansion of the 
Lynden and Sumas LPOEs in Lynden and Sumas, Washington. The existing 
Lynden and Sumas LPOEs are owned and managed by GSA and operated by the 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP). The Final EIS 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 best management practices and mitigation 
measures. The Final EIS also includes a Floodplain Assessment and 
Statement of Findings due to the construction in a floodplain at the 
Sumas LPOE. The Final EIS identifies the preferred alternatives, 
including the environmentally preferable alternatives, as summarized 
below (see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this NOA).

DATES: The Final EIS Wait Period begins with publication of this NOA in 
the Federal Register and will last until December 16, 2024. Any 
comments regarding the Final EIS must be received or postmarked by the 
last day of the 30-day Final EIS Wait Period (see the ADDRESSES section 
of this NOA on how to submit comments). After the Final EIS Wait 
Period, GSA will issue the Record of Decision (ROD).

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the Final EIS should be directed to:
     Email: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please 
include ``Lynden and Sumas LPOEs Final EIS'' in the subject line of the 
message.
     Mail: ATTN: Patrick Manning, Capital Project Manager, 
Lynden and Sumas LPOEs EIS, U.S. General Services Administration, 
Northwest/Arctic Region 10, 1301 A Street, Suite 610, Tacoma, WA 98402.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Manning, Capital Project 
Manager, GSA at [email protected] or [email protected], or at 202-501-
4755.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Digital copies of the Final EIS are 
available at the following GSA project websites: www.gsa.gov/lynden and 
www.gsa.gov/sumas. GSA has considered stakeholder input and public 
comments provided during the scoping and Draft EIS comment periods and 
tenant needs at the LPOEs to develop the Final EIS and determine the 
preferred alternatives.
    GSA's preferred alternative for the Lynden LPOE is to implement 
Lynden LPOE Alternative 3 (North-South Oriented LPOE Expansion) as 
described in the Final EIS. This alternative was selected because it 
would match the orientation of the existing LPOE and facilitate more 
efficient traffic flow. GSA has identified Lynden LPOE Alternative 3 as 
the environmentally preferable alternative because the maximum proposed 
limits of disturbance would be smaller compared to Lynden LPOE 
Alternative 2 (10.3 acres verses 14.5 acres) and Lynden LPOE 
Alternative 3 would require lower quantities of fill because of the 
smaller project footprint and differences in elevation change across 
the project site.
    GSA's preferred alternative for the Sumas LPOE is to implement 
Sumas LPOE Alternative 4 (Multi-Story Construction LPOE Expansion) as 
described in the Final EIS. This alternative was selected because the 
operational space within the Main Building would be consolidated, and 
the building would use a smaller footprint within the LPOE allowing 
more space for other LPOE functions and increasing LPOE operational 
efficiency. This alternative would also add a pedestrian bridge, 
further increasing employee safety. Sumas LPOE Alternative 2 
(Feasibility Study Preferred Alternative), Sumas LPOE Alternative 3 
(Commercial Inspection West), and Sumas LPOE Alternative 4 (Multi-Story 
Construction LPOE Expansion) would be constructed within the same 
limits of disturbance (12.6 acres), with the only noted differences 
being the LPOE's potential alignment, layout, and operating efficiency. 
Therefore, potential environmental impacts resulting from each of these 
alternatives are similar and each alternative, including GSA's 
preferred Sumas LPOE Alternative 4, could be identified as the 
environmentally preferable alternative.

Background

    The existing 4.8-acre Lynden LPOE serves as the port of entry for 
people and vehicles connecting Lynden, Washington to Aldergrove, 
British Columbia, Canada. The Lynden LPOE currently operates 16 hours 
per day, 7 days per week and processes privately owned vehicles (POVs), 
buses, pedestrians, and permitted commercial traffic. The existing 4.0-
acre Sumas LPOE serves as the port of entry for people and vehicles 
connecting Sumas, Washington to Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. 
The Sumas LPOE operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and processes 
POVs, buses, pedestrians, and commercial traffic.
    The purpose of these expansion and modernization projects is for 
GSA to support the CBP mission through modernizing and expanding the 
Lynden and Sumas LPOEs.
    Accomplishing this purpose would increase the functionality, 
capacity, operational efficiency, effectiveness, security, 
sustainability, and safety of the Lynden and Sumas LPOEs. The projects 
are generally needed to update the current facilities at the Lynden and 
Sumas LPOEs, which no longer function adequately and cannot meet CBP 
current operational needs or Program of Requirements.
    The existing Lynden and Sumas LPOEs have not undergone major 
improvements since their initial construction in the late 1980s and do 
not have sufficient space for modernization and expansion. Both 
facilities also have configuration and space issues that cause traffic, 
delays in processing times, and safety and security issues for 
inspection personnel. Additionally, these facilities do not have the 
ability to incorporate new technologies as they become available. The 
projects at the Lynden and Sumas LPOEs are analyzed jointly in this 
Final EIS due to their proximity (approximately 10 miles) to one 
another.

[[Page 90293]]

    Operational changes at the Lynden and Sumas LPOEs could impact each 
other, especially during construction.
    GSA has prepared a Final EIS to assess the potential impacts of 
these expansion and modernization projects.

Alternatives Considered

    The EIS considered two action alternatives for the Lynden LPOE and 
three action alternatives for the Sumas LPOE, along with two 
construction sequencing options. GSA also considered the No Action 
Alternatives for each project location.
    Lynden Alternative 2 (East-West Oriented LPOE Expansion) would 
involve potential acquisition of primarily agricultural land to the 
west of the LPOE, site preparation, and construction to modernize and 
expand the LPOE. The maximum proposed limits of disturbance for Lynden 
Alternative 2 would be approximately 14.5 acres.
    Lynden Alternative 3 (North-South Oriented LPOE Expansion) would 
include the same action as Lynden Alternative 2, with a difference of 
alignment. The maximum proposed limits of disturbance for Alternative 3 
would be approximately 10.3 acres.
    Sumas Alternative 2 (Feasibility Study Preferred Alternative) would 
involve potential acquisition of land south and east of the LPOE, site 
preparation, and construction to modernize and expand the LPOE. The 
maximum proposed limits of disturbance for Sumas Alternative 2 would be 
approximately 12.9 acres.
    Sumas Alternative 3 (Commercial Inspection West) would include the 
same action and maximum proposed limits of disturbance as Alternative 
2, with a difference of a ``flipped'' alignment of the commercial 
inspection facility.
    Sumas Alternative 4 (Multi-Story Construction LPOE Expansion) would 
include the same action and maximum proposed limits of disturbance as 
Sumas Alternative 2, with a difference of multi-story Main Building 
being constructed.
    The EIS also evaluated two construction sequencing options, which 
could be implemented under any of the action alternatives considered.
    Under the Concurrent Construction option, both ports would remain 
open during construction. Pedestrian access would be maintained through 
the ports by utilizing and resetting, as necessary, various access and 
safety controls. POV access would also be maintained through both ports 
using various controls, which may require limits on the number of open 
processing lanes and shifting of POVs to commercial owned vehicle (COV) 
lanes for limited times. COVs may need to be detoured at times to other 
ports to permit adequate space for continued POV processing.
    Under the Sequential Construction Option, GSA and CBP considered 
the potential for closure of the Lynden LPOE. All traffic, pedestrians, 
POVs, and COVs would be detoured from the Lynden LPOE during the 
majority of its construction. Once the modernized and expanded Lynden 
LPOE is reopened, construction that impacts traffic would begin on the 
Sumas LPOE. The Sumas LPOE would remain open to pedestrians and POVs 
during construction to the greatest extent possible. COVs would be 
detoured from the Sumas LPOE to other LPOEs during portions of the 
construction period.
    The Final EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts of the 
proposed alternatives on environmental resources including land use; 
water resources; biological resources; geology, topography, and soils; 
air quality, climate change, and greenhouse gases; human health and 
safety; infrastructure and utilities; traffic and transportation; noise 
and vibration; socioeconomics; and environmental justice and protection 
of children's health and safety. Based on the analysis presented in the 
Final EIS, impacts to all resource areas would be less-than-significant 
(i.e., negligible, minor, or moderate) adverse or beneficial. Impact 
reduction measures are presented in the Final EIS to reduce potential 
adverse effects.
    GSA conducted formal consultation with the Washington State 
Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (referred to as the 
State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO]) as required under Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to determine impacts to 
historic properties. GSA determined that no historic properties would 
be affected by the proposed projects. SHPO concurred with GSA's 
determination.
    GSA determined that implementation of any combination of Lynden and 
Sumas action alternatives may affect but would not likely adversely 
affect the yellow-billed cuckoo and monarch butterfly. Therefore, GSA 
sent an informal consultation letter in accordance with Section 7 of 
the ESA regarding the potential impacts to protected species from the 
Proposed Action to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on July 
31, 2024; and a follow-up email on September 18, 2024. The USFWS did 
not reply or provide written concurrence with GSA's determination 
within the 60-day required timeframe for a response.
    GSA sent Farmland Conversion Impact Rating Forms to the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on July 31, 2024; and a follow-up 
email on September 18, 2024 to determine if mitigation to reduce 
potential impacts to farmland or farmland soils from the proposed 
modernization and expansion of the Lynden and Sumas LPOEs is required. 
The NRCS has not responded to date; however, GSA will continue to 
coordinate with NRCS to determine if mitigation for potential impacts 
to Farmland Protection Policy Act protected soils is required.
    The Sumas LPOE project area is located within the 1-percent-annual-
chance floodplain (also referred to as the base flood or 100-year 
flood) and 0.2-percent-annual-chance floodplain (also referred to as 
the 500-year flood). 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 EIS for public review and comment. As 
described in the Final EIS, GSA would follow Federal, State, and local 
regulatory compliance requirements and incorporate design standards at 
the Sumas LPOE to minimize impacts to floodplains.

Anamarie Crawley,
Director, Facilities Management Division, Northwest/Arctic Region 10, 
U.S. General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-26296 Filed 11-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-DL-P