\ fr \ Federal Register Publications (CIS, ICE, CBP) \ Federal Register Publications (CIS, ICE, CBP) - 2006 \ FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES - 2006 \ United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program; Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) on the US-VISIT Plan for Potential Changes to Immigration and Border Management Processes [71 FR 8602] [FR 2-06]
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United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program; Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) on the US-VISIT Plan for Potential Changes to Immigration and Border Management Processes [71 FR 8602] [FR 2-06]
[Federal Register: February 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 33)]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology
(US-VISIT) Program; Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic
Environmental Assessment (PEA) on the US-VISIT Plan for Potential
Changes to Immigration and Border Management Processes
ACTION: Notice of Availability and Public Meetings.
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SUMMARY: A Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the
United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-
VISIT) Program is available for public review and comment. The Draft
PEA examined potential for environmental impacts from each of the four
strategic approaches to enhancing immigration and border management
processes. These four approaches are aimed at improving information
available to determine the identity and immigration status of
individuals traveling to and from the United States.
DATES: The Draft PEA will be available for public review and comment
from February 17, 2006 until March 18, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft PEA may be obtained through the Internet
Attn: Environmental Programs Manager, PO Box 587, Arlington, VA 22216-
0587. You may submit comments, in Spanish or English, by one of the
E-mail:
US-VISIT.environmental@dhs.gov
.
Mail or Hand Delivery/Courier: US-VISIT Program-Comments,
Attn: Environmental Programs Manager, PO Box 587, Arlington, VA 22216-
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Mahoney, US-VISIT Environmental
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These four strategic approaches were
developed with an understanding of potential future initiatives to
enhance the Nation's immigration and border security. The four
approaches are: (1) Maintaining the status quo by continuing current
processes for assessing individuals and improving facilities,
technology, and staff at the current rate; (2) implementing changes to
the immigration and border management processes at the U.S.
border through growth of both numbers of employees and physical
capacity at the nation's land, air, and sea ports of entry; (3)
implementing changes to the immigration and border management processes
through technological enhancements that would allow eligibility and
risk assessments to be made primarily overseas; and/or (4) a
combination of approaches 2 and 3. Due to the national scope of this
Draft PEA, the environmental impacts of implementing any of these
approaches could occur within virtually every ecosystem in the United
States. The Draft PEA is a qualitative assessment that provides
information on the potential for significant environmental impacts from
each of these four strategies that will be used to inform further
policy and strategy development and future implementation of the
proposed changes. This analysis provides results that will be used to
focus any future environmental impact analyses on the most important
resources of concern. The Draft PEA found that the resource areas most
likely to be impacted by these changes are air quality and
socioeconomics. The Draft PEA is being issued and made available to the
public in accordance with the provisions of the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This Notice also announces
that US-VISIT will conduct public meetings in February and March 2006
at seven locations in the United States, at which US-VISIT will invite
the public to comment on information and analyses in the Draft PEA. The
Draft PEA is available in English and Spanish. US-VISIT has made the
Draft PEA widely available by distributing it (or a notice of its
availability) to many interested parties, local and national
newspapers, local libraries, and by posting it on the Internet. US-
VISIT intends to issue subsequent Notices.
The dates and locations of all public meetings will be publicized
no less than one week in advance in local news media in communities
where the meetings will be held. Dates and locations are as follows:
Miami, FL, McDonald Center, Rooms 1, 2, and 3 (Feb. 21); Buffalo, NY,
Buffalo State College, Sport Arena Lobby Area (Feb. 23); Detroit, MI,
Coleman A. Young Recreation Center, Multi-Purpose Room (Feb. 23);
Tucson, AZ, Pima Community College, Amethyst Community Room, Building
CC180 (Feb. 28); and El Paso, TX, El Paso High School (Feb. 28);
Seattle/Bellingham, WA, Bellingham High School Commons Area (Mar. 2);
San Diego/San Ysidro, CA, Southwestern Community College Student
Director, US-VISIT Office of Facilities and Engineering.
[FR Doc. E6-2287 Filed 2-16-06; 8:45 am]