Source: United States General Services Administration
January 10, 2023
BOSTON – In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will host a public meeting in support of an Environmental Assessment for the proposed construction of a new replacement Land Port of Entry (LPOE) at Highgate Springs, Vermont.
The public is encouraged to attend and participate in the public meeting on:
WHEN*: Thursday, January 12, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: St. Albans City Hall Auditorium, 100 North Main Street, St. Albans City, VT
*In the event of inclement weather, the alternate date will be Thursday, January 19, 2023
The meeting will be conducted in an open house format. GSA will present project information to the attendees. The public will have an opportunity to hear about the project and learn how they can provide input on the issues that are important to the community. This input is a valuable step in the process and will be used by GSA to determine the scope and content of the Environmental Assessment.
GSA is proposing to acquire additional land and to construct a larger facility that expands and modernizes this port. The new replacement facility will allow federal inspection agencies to operate efficiently and enable the port to handle the anticipated traffic increase at the border crossing, expediting crossing times for the traveling public and businesses that rely on binational commerce.
The Highgate Springs project will incorporate sustainability features that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate environmental impact, and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change.
The new port will meet the U.S. Custom and Border Protection’s (CBP) mission requirements, while improving the safety of officers and the traveling public. It will provide for an efficient flow of people and commerce, accommodating the increased traffic volume, and the additional border security measures and technologies.
Written comments must be received by Thursday, February 9, 2023, using one of the following methods:
- In-Person: Submit written comments at the public meeting via comment forms to be distributed at the meeting.
- Email: Send an email to highgatesprings.lpoe@gsa.gov and reference “Highgate Springs LPOE EA” in the subject line.
- Mail: Send written comments to the following address:
- U.S General Services Administration
Attention: John Maurer, Project Manager
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr., Federal Building
10 Causeway Street, 11th Floor
Boston, MA 02222-1077
- U.S General Services Administration
Project information, including a video recording of this public meeting, will be available at: gsa.gov/highgatespringslpoe.
The Highgate Springs Land Port of Entry – one of the busiest land ports in New England – sits across the U.S.-Canada border from the Canadian port of entry at St. Armand, Quebec. The port is at the end of Interstate 89 (I-89) and Canada Route 133 which connects to Canada Autoroute-35 (A-35).
The new facility, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is critical due to the extension of Canada Autoroute A-35. This extension will connect to I-89 at Highgate Springs, and is expected to increase traffic through the port by approximately 30 percent.
About GSA:
GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services across government, in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.