Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to Continue the Program of Protecting the Southwest Border Through the Interdiction of Illegal Drugs With the Support of the Joint Task Force Six

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service

[INS No. 1626-94]

Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to Continue the

Program of Protecting the Southwest Border Through the Interdiction of

Illegal Drugs With the Support of the Joint Task Force Six

AGENCY: The Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice. Joint Task

Force Six, Environmental Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the draft programmatic environmental

impact statement (DPEIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This Notice is to notify interested parties that the

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has prepared a DPEIS for

the proposed continuation of the Joint Task Force Six (JTF-6) support

Program. The JTF-6 Program involves providing operational, engineering,

and general support to Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) that have drug

interdiction responsibilities within the southwestern border states.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions must be received no later than

May 30, 1994. The final PEIS will be prepared after receipt of public

comments.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the DPEIS, ``JTF-6 Activities Along the U.S./

Mexico Border (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California),'' are

available upon written request to the following address: U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, CESWF-PL-RE, P.O. Box 17300,

819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-0300.

Send written comments on the DPEIS to Mr. Eric Verwers,

Environmental Resource Planner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort

Worth District, CESWF-PL-RE, P.O. Box 17300, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-

0300.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the DPEIS should

be directed to Mr. Eric Verwers, Environmental Resource Planner, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, CESWF-PL-RE, telephone (817) 334-3246, or P.O.

Box 17300, 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-0300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Statutory Authority

This Notice is being issued to interested parties in accordance

with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Public Law 91-190,

and Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40

CFR parts 1500-1508. These Regulations allow for a 45-day comment

period from the date the DPEIS is submitted to Environmental Protection

Agency and the Notice of availability is published in the Federal

Register. That date was April 15, 1994.

Background

JTF-6 was activated on November 13, 1989, at Fort Bliss, Texas, by

the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the President's National

Drug Control Strategy. The thrust of this program is the use of

Department of Defense training resources in the support of agencies

responsible for the fight against illegal drugs.

The mission of JTF-6 is to plan and coordinate military training

along the U.S. Southwest Land Border in support of counter-drug

activities by Federal, State, and Local LEA's, as requested through

Operation Alliance and approved by the Secretary of Defense or a

designated representative.

The JTF-6 Program provides operational, engineering, and general

support to LEAs operating within the Southwestern United States which

have drug interdiction authority and allows the LEAs to conduct their

missions more efficiently and effectively. The actions performed by

JTF-6 personnel are quite diverse, ranging from reconnaissance

operations to the building and renovation of roads and radio towers.

The JTF-6's primary area of concern is within a 50-mile-wide corridor

along the U.S./Mexico Border from Port Arthur, Texas, to San Diego,

California.

The INS is responsible for the prevention of smuggling and unlawful

entry of aliens into the United States. This is the task of the Border

Patrol, which also has been designated the primary law enforcement

component responsible for drug interdiction between the U.S. land

Ports-of-Entry.

Since the Border Patrol has been the primary beneficiary of most

JTF-6 engineering actions to date, INS elected to act as lead agency

for the preparation of this DPEIS. The Environmental Protection Agency

and JTF-6 elected to act as cooperating agencies. A Notice of Intent to

prepare a PEIS was published on July 15, 1993, in the Federal Register

at 58 FR 38140.

Purpose

The purpose of the DPEIS is to address cumulative environmental

impacts of previous actions as well as those actions which may be

developed within the reasonably foreseeable future. The DPEIS analyzes

these cumulative impacts and generically examines the impacts of future

individual actions based on experience with similar past actions. The

DPEIS also describes the different types of actions performed by JTF-6.

Proposed Action

Based on performance accomplishments, INS wishes to have JTF-6

continue to provide the support services to the LEA's at the same or

similar levels that have occurred since November 1989. The support

services provided by JTF-6 to the LEA's are characterized as

operational, engineering, and general.

This proposed action complies with the National Defense

Authorization Act (Pub. L. 101-510, as amended) and the President's

National Drug Control Strategy, in accordance with Section 1005 of the

Anti Drug Abuse Act (Pub. L. 100-690). Continuation of the JTF-6

Program is INS' preferred alternative.

Alternatives

1. No action, which essentially is a discontinuation of the JTF-6

support services to the LEA's.

2. To continue the JTF-6 Program without the engineering support

services, which is the support category that has greatest potential for

environmental impacts.

Dated: May 12, 1994.

Doris Meissner,

Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service.

[FR Doc. 94-12156 Filed 5-18-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410-10-M