Bureau of Customs and Border Protection November 13, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on behalf of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the construction and improvement of existing patrol roads and the removal of non-native (giant cane, Arundo donax) vegetation along 111 miles of the Rio Grande (Proposed Action) in Webb County, Texas. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the decision-making agency for this project. This EIS is being prepared in support of the proposal by the Office of Border Patrol's (OBP) Laredo North and Laredo South Stations for controlling and deterring the influx of illegal immigration and contraband into the United States. Due to the increased violent activity in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and increase in drug trafficking in Webb County, the Secretary of Homeland Security has mandated this effort as the top priority of the OBP's Laredo Sector. The Laredo Sector has a need to secure the border by obtaining an unobstructed line of sight to the Rio Grande and a continuous patrol road. These actions are intended to gain and maintain control of the border to further prevent the influx of illegal aliens and drugs into the United States. Prior NEPA documents, developed to address those project portions which have been previously constructed or proposed to be constructed, will be incorporated into the DEIS by reference. Direct project impacts of the remaining portions of the project, as well as cumulative impacts of the comprehensive project, will also be addressed. Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations, a scoping process will be conducted. As part of this process, a public workshop/open house will be held to identify issues of concern for analysis during the NEPA process.