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

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service

[INS No. 1626FN-94]

Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to Continue the

Program of Protecting the Southwest Border Through the Interdiction of

Illegal Drugs With the Support of Joint Task Force Six

AGENCY: The Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice (lead);

Joint Task Force Six (cooperating); Environmental Protection Agency

(cooperating).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental

Impact Statement (FPEIS).

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SUMMARY: This Notice is to notify interested parties that the

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has prepared a FPEIS 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.

The Draft PEIS was filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

and published in the Federal Register on April 15, 1994, at 59 FR

18115; the Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft PEIS was published

on May 19, 1994, in the Federal Register at 59 FR 26322. Comments on

the Draft PEIS were received from five Federal Agencies, five State

Agencies, and four private individuals/organizations. A request for an

extension of time for review and comment was received from individuals

in Laredo, Texas, and the U.S. Department of Interior. The request was

granted and the comment period was extended from May 30, 1994, to June

10, 1994. Copies of all comments and responses are documented in the

FPEIS. The FPEIS was filed with the EPA on August 11, 1994, and

published on August 19, 1994, in the Federal Register at 59 FR 42831.

One private individual/organization commented on the FPEIS. The Record

of Decision (ROD) is currently being prepared and will be available for

public review after its completion.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FPEIS, ``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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the FPEIS should

be directed to Mr. Eric W. 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 1500-1508.

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 counterdrug

activities by Federal, State, and Local LEAs, as requested through

Operation Alliance and approved by the Secretary of Defense or a

designated representative.

The JFT-6 program provides operational, engineering, and general

support to LEAs operating within the Southwestern United States which

have drug interdiction authorities 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 is also 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 FPEIS. The EPA and JTF-6 elected to act as

cooperating agencies. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a PEIS was

published on July 15, 1993, in the Federal Register at 58 FR 38140.

Purpose

The purpose of the FPEIS is to address cumulative environmental

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

developed within the reasonably foreseeable future. The FPEIS analyzes

these cumulative impacts and generically examines the impacts of future

individual actions based on experience with similar past actions. The

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

Dated: September 23, 1994.

Doris Meissner,

Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service.

[FR Doc. 94-24564 Filed 10-4-94; 8:45 am]

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