Public meeting set on
northern border security proposals
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October 12, 2011 |
WASHINGTON— U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP), a component of the Department of Homeland
Security, has published a draft environmental
study analyzing potential environmental
socioeconomic effects of current and potential
future border security activities along the
northern border. The draft “Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for U.S.
Customs and Border Protection Northern Border
Activities” is currently available for a 45-day
public review period.
CBP will hold a meeting on the proposals from 7 to 9 p.m.
Thursday, October 13, at the Great Northwest
Territories Event Center, 1054 Mountain Meadows
Road, Naples.
CBP protects against terrorism, human and drug
smuggling, illegal migration, and agricultural
pests while simultaneously facilitating the flow
of legitimate trade and travel. CBP plans to use
information from the analysis in the Final PEIS
for planning and decision making
purposes—evaluating its mission and
environmental stewardship responsibilities.
The study analyzed approximately 4,000 miles
from Maine to Washington and 100 miles south of
the U.S.–Canada Border. The Alaskan border area
with Canada was not a part of this study. CBP
will review and incorporate comments into a
final PEIS, following the 45-day public review
period.
The proposal is designed so as to ensure the
continued effectiveness by CBP in protecting the
United States from existing and evolving threats
to the Nation’s physical and economic security,
and to facilitate legitimate trade and travel.
The plan outlines proposed changes to the
mixture of facilities, operations, tactical
infrastructure and technology implemented along
the Northern Border through its uniformed law
enforcement components, including additional
facilities, forward operations bases, improved
communications and techonolgy, improved access
to remote areas, fencing and other measures to
strengthen border security.
Public meetings for the draft PEIS will be held
in cities along the Northern Border during the
month of Oct. Additionally, a meeting will be
held in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 17. For more
information about the public meetings, the
project, or to obtain a copy of the draft PEIS,
please visit the project’s web site,
www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. A copy of the
PEIS may also be requested by calling (866)
760-1421 or by mailing a request to: CBP
Northern Border PEIS, P.O. Box 3625, McLean,
Virginia, 22102. Most public libraries in
communities along the Northern Border have
CD-ROM copies of the PEIS.
CBP will hold a series of public meetings on the
Draft PEIS. At each meeting, CBP will present
information about the report, and about the
agency’s activities. CBP will also take your
comments.
See the website
www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com or call (866)
760-1421 for more information about the meeting
or about CBP activities.
After the public comment period, which closes
Oct. 31, CBP will prepare a Final PEIS, which is
expected to be released in February, 2012. The
PEIS will help the agency enhance border
security and environmental protection along the
Northern Border.
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