Source: United States General Services Administration
December 7, 2022
Contact: tanya.schusler@gsa.gov
CHICAGO – The U.S. General Services Administration will host a public scoping meeting in support of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to address the expansion and modernization of the International Falls Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in northern Minnesota on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 6-8 p.m. CT.
This meeting will provide project information and solicit public input on what resources and issues are most important. That input will help determine the scope and content of the SEIS.
Members of the public may attend in-person or virtually, and a GSA staff member will assist virtual attendees in providing comments. The event will be at the Koochiching County Court Administration Building, 715 4th Street, 3rd floor, International Falls, Minnesota, and webcast via Zoom.
The International Falls LPOE is owned and managed by GSA and operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This facility serves as the port of entry to travelers crossing the international bridge that connects to the town of Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. CBP currently inspects private vehicular, pedestrian, and commercial truck traffic at the LPOE on the U.S.-Canada Border.
This SEIS will serve as an update to the International Falls LPOE Improvements Study Final Environmental Impact Statement, released in 2011. Since 2011, GSA has identified changes to the project, which differ from the preferred alternative described in the 2011 EIS. The SEIS will examine the impacts on human, natural, and cultural environments from potential improvements at the LPOE, including site expansion (up to approximately 20 acres), demolition, and new construction.
Members of the public who do not have access to a personal computer may join the meeting by calling 646-931-3860, entering Meeting ID 817 8441 8631 and the pound (#) key, and then pressing # again when prompted for a participant ID. Dialing into the meeting is only necessary if you are not accessing the meeting through a personal computer or mobile app, or if you would like to provide oral comments during the meeting but do not have a computer microphone.
The meeting will include a presentation followed by a public comment session, in which both in-person and virtual attendees may participate. Those not able to attend in person or virtually may submit comments via mail or e-mail as instructed below. All written or verbal comments will be treated with equal importance.
In order to be considered during the preparation of the draft SEIS, comments must be received by January 13, 2023. Comments may be submitted at the scoping meeting, by email to michael.gonczar@gsa.gov (include “International Falls SEIS Scoping Comment” in subject line), or mailed to:
ATTN: Michael Gonczar, International Falls LPOE SEIS
U.S. General Services Administration, Region 5
230 S. Dearborn St., Suite 3600
Chicago, IL 60604
For more information or if special assistance is needed to participate in the public scoping meeting, contact Michael Gonczar, GSA Region 5 NEPA program manager, at 312-810-2326 or michael.gonczar@gsa.gov.
WHAT: Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Public Scoping Meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 6-8 p.m. CT.
WHERE: 715 4th Street, 3rd floor, International Falls, MN 56649.
WHO: General public.
HOW: Virtual meeting option: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/31. A GSA staff member will be available to assist the public in providing public comments via the virtual platform.
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About GSA: We provide centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. Our mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.