Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, San Diego, California

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of availability.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which examines the potential impacts of a proposal by the General Services Administration (GSA) to modernize and expand the existing Otay Mesa Land Port of Entry (LPOE) located at the United States (U.S.)-Mexico border in the City of San Diego community of Otay Mesa, in San Diego County, California. The FEIS describes the reason the project is being proposed, the alternatives being considered, the potential impacts of each of the alternatives on the existing environment, and avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures.

As the lead agency in this undertaking, GSA is acting on behalf of its major tenant at this facility, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

DATES:

The comment period for the FEIS ends March 11th, 2019. After this date, GSA will prepare the Record of Decision (ROD). A public meeting for the FEIS will be held on March 7th, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Further information, including an electronic copy of the FEIS, may be found online on the following website: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-pacific-rim-region-9/land-ports-of-entry/otay-mesa-land-port-of-entry/otay-mesa-environmental-review. Questions or comments concerning the FEIS should be directed to: Osmahn Kadri, NEPA Project Manager, 50 United Nations Plaza, 3345 Mailbox #9, San Francisco, CA 94102, or via email to osmahn.kadri@gsa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Otay Mesa LPOE is located approximately 17 miles southeast of downtown San Diego, just north of the U.S. border and the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. When it was constructed in 1983, its primary purpose was to divert growing commercial truck traffic from the increasingly busy San Ysidro LPOE to the west at the southern terminus of Interstate 5. The LPOE handles commercial and privately-owned vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Since the LPOE opened, vehicle and pedestrian traffic and the population and general development in the area have grown. It is now one of the ten busiest land ports in the country and is the busiest commercial port on the California-Mexico border, handling the second highest volume of trucks, and third highest dollar volume of trade among all U.S.-Mexico LPOEs. Ever-increasing traffic loads and new security initiatives require increased capacity and new inspection technology to be installed and implemented at the existing facilities.

Background

The Project's purpose is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, security and safety at the existing Otay Mesa LPOE. The Project's need, or the need to which the GSA is responding, is to increase the LPOE's capacity due to increased demand, and to address public and employee safety and border security concerns.

The FEIS considers two “action” alternatives and one “no action” alternative. The Preferred Alternative would include the development of an approximately 10-acre GSA-owned plot of land to the immediate east of the existing commercial import lot. The new lot would be used to construct commercial inspection buildings and additional commercial import lanes. Improvements to existing pedestrian lanes and personal vehicle inspection lanes; relocation of personnel currently housed in the Pedestrian, Commercial Import and Commercial Export buildings; renovation of existing facilities throughout the Otay Mesa LPOE; and demolition of facilities that would no longer be needed would also occur. New construction would include commercial import and exit booths, six additional pedestrian lanes in the Pedestrian Building, a Commercial Annex Building (CAB), a return-to-Mexico lane for commercial traffic, a pedestrian ramp and parking areas for the new commercial lot. Building renovations would include the installation of energy conservation measures and water conservation measures across the Otay Mesa LPOE, the correction of deficiencies throughout existing facilities (e.g., updating security systems, updating HVAC systems, improving lighting and repaving old asphalt surfaces), and refurbishing the interiors of the Pedestrian, Commercial Import and Commercial Export buildings including repainting and replacing flooring.

The Reduced Build Alternative would include many of the same activities as under the Preferred Alternative; however, the overall activity level would be lower. Notably, no new construction would occur on the 10-acre GSA-owned plot of land, and the CAB would not be constructed; instead, the plot of land would be paved and used as additional space for the commercial vehicle inspection booths which would be reconfigured to increase traffic flow. Renovation of existing facilities would still occur, but activities would be limited to updating security and HVAC systems and repainting interiors.

The No Action Alternative assumes that modernization and expansion of the existing LPOE would not occur and that a new facility would not be constructed adjacent to the existing LPOE. The LPOE would continue to operate under current conditions.

Public Meeting

A public meeting for the FEIS will be held on Thursday, March 7th from 4 to 6 p.m. at: Holiday Inn Express and Suites San Diego, 2296 Niels Bohr Court, San Diego, CA 92154, 619-710-0900.

The meeting will be conducted in an open house format, where project information will be presented and distributed. Interested parties are encouraged to attend and provide written comments on the FEIS. Comments must be received by March 11th, 2019 and emailed to osmahn.kadri@gsa.gov or sent to: General Services Administration, Attention: Osmahn Kadri, NEPA Project Manager, 50 United Nations Plaza, 3345 Mailbox #9, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Next Steps

After comments are received from the public and reviewing agencies, GSA may 1. Give environmental approval to the Project by signing a ROD no sooner than 30 days after the FEIS is issued. In the ROD, GSA will explain all the factors that were considered in reaching its final decision, including the environmental factors. GSA will identify the environmentally preferable alternative or alternatives and may select one of the alternatives or a combination of alternatives analyzed in the EIS. 2. Undertake additional environmental studies, or 3. Abandon the Project.

If the Project is given environmental approval and funding is appropriated, the GSA could design and construct all or part of the Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Osmahn A. Kadri, NEPA Project Manager, General Services Administration at 415-522-3617. Please also call this number if special assistance is needed to attend and participate in the public meeting.