Land port of entry modernization projects bolster security, advance clean manufacturing through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

Investments will result in thousands of jobs, nation’s first net-zero land port of entry

WASHINGTON DC - The U.S. General Services Administration today announced details of its plan to invest over $1 billion through the President’s Investing in America agenda to modernize dozens of federal Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs), while boosting domestic clean manufacturing and sustainable technologies. Funding through the Inflation Reduction Act will allow 38 LPOE projects to utilize clean construction materials and state-of-the-art sustainable technologies. Twenty-three of these projects will fully electrify standard building operations. 

“By incorporating clean construction materials and clean energy technologies into these projects, we’re not only supporting bringing these border stations into the 21st century - we’re also supporting the clean energy industries that will lead our economy in the future,” said Administrator Robin Carnahan. “These critical investments from the President’s Investing in America Agenda help strengthen security while creating good-paying jobs, reducing harmful emissions and boosting domestic manufacturing.”

The federal government is the largest purchaser in the world, with an annual purchasing power of over $630 billion. Through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Buy Clean Initiative, the federal government is harnessing that procurement power for the first time to prioritize the use of American-made, lower-carbon construction materials. 

The LPOE Inflation Reduction Act investments include roughly $850 million for low-embodied carbon materials and $60 million for emerging and sustainable technologies for 26 major land port of entry modernization projects. In addition to these modernization projects, GSA is investing another $100 million in low-embodied carbon materials for 13 land port of entry paving projects.

“Under President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan, agencies are leading by example to make government operations more efficient, resilient, and sustainable,” said Andrew Mayock, the Federal Government’s Chief Sustainability Officer and co-chair of the Federal Buy Clean Task Force. “As part of our Buy Clean Initiative, the Biden-Harris Administration has begun procurement of over $4 billion in American-made clean construction materials as it works to make Federal buildings more efficient, all-electric, and powered by 100% carbon-free electricity. This investment, part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, is catalyzing America’s manufacturing industries, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, and building healthier communities.”

GSA identified the projects based on each facility’s age, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection’s security needs. These Land Port of Entry investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will contribute to local economies by supporting 11,500 good-paying jobs annually across the United States.  

Sustainability outcomes include:

  • Reduced operational emissions - Altogether, these projects will reduce the carbon emissions from facility operations by over 2 million metric tons of CO2. That’s the equivalent of taking about 500,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for one year.
  • Twenty-three all-electric buildings - Out of the 25 projects, 23 will operate without onsite fossil fuels, and all 23 will meet the Federal Building Performance Standard for full electrification.
  • Four net-zero LPOEs - Following the renovations, four of the LPOEs will achieve net-zero emissions by reducing emissions through electrification and implementing efficiency measures such as solar arrays and ground source heat pumps to save taxpayer dollars and energy.
  • Low embodied carbon avoidance - Twenty-five major modernization projects and 13 paving projects will use LEC funds for an estimated 920,000 pounds of asphalt, 172,000 cubic yards of concrete, 550,000 thousand square feet of glass, and 18.1 million pounds of steel with a combined estimated 9,400 metric tons of embodied carbon avoidance.

BIL Land Ports of Entry and Paving Projects receiving IRA funds are listed below:

State

Land Port of Entry Projects

IRA funding (up to)*

Arizona

Douglas Commercial (New) – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$135M

 

Raul Hector Castro (Douglas) – Funding will make this facility all-electric and avoid 416 metric tons of embodied carbon.

$53M

 

San Luis I - Funds will make this the first land port of entry to achieve net-zero by balancing carbon emissions through innovative climate-resilient technologies, an all-electric design, and photovoltaic systems and batteries that will power the port around the clock.

$100M

California

Calexico West – This parking lot replacement project will replace 17,000 square feet of asphalt and concrete and will avoid approximately 1.8 metric tons of embodied carbon.

$30M

Idaho

Porthill – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$15M

Maine

Coburn Gore – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$27M

 

Ferry Point (Calais) – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$12M

 

Fort Fairfield – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$12M

 

Houlton – Funding will make this facility sustainable and avoid 34 metric tons of embodied carbon.

$9M

 

Limestone – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$7M

 

Richford – Funding will make this facility all electric and avoid 70 metric tons of embodied carbon.

$9M

Minnesota

Grand Portage - Funding will support improvements that use sustainable and climate-resilient materials, reduce maintenance and operating costs, provide superior technological efficiency and flexibility, and make the facility all-electric and net-zero ready.

$27M

 

International Falls - Funds will permit the facility to achieve LEED Gold and implement sustainable technologies like water retention and heat recovery systems, electrochromic, or smart glass, which allows the user to control the amount of light that passes through, and wind power.  

$86M

North Dakota

Dunseith – Funding will support installation of electric boilers and quad pane windows, making the facility all-electric and sustainable.

$14M

New Mexico

Santa Teresa (paving).

$6M

New York

Rouses Point - Funding will support the port’s transition to an all-electric facility with LEED Gold certification.  Design approach will minimize disturbance to local wetlands. 

$13M

 

Trout River – Funding will make this facility all-electric, net zero ready and sustainable.

$12M

Texas

Anzalduas (paving).

$3M

 

Bridge of the Americas (El Paso) – This port of entry renovation will include photovoltaic, advanced metering, electric vehicle charging, adapting into net zero ready facility, all electric energy, onsite water collection for reuse, LEED Gold and SITEs Silver.

$200M

 

Brownsville-Gateway - Funding will support the use of low-embodied carbon asphalt, concrete, glass and steel, and emerging and sustainable technologies including instant electric water heaters.

$39M

 

Colombia (paving).

$31M

 

Del Rio (paving).

$4M

 

Eagle Pass I (paving).

$2M

 

Eagle Pass II (paving).

$12M

 

Fort Hancock (paving).

$2M

 

Kika de la Garza (paving).

$10M

 

Los Indios (paving).

$4M

 

Los Tomates (paving).

$5M

 

Paso Del Norte (paving).

$4M

 

World Trade Bridge (paving)

$14M

 

Ysleta (paving).

$9M

Vermont

Alburg Springs – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$15M

 

Beebe Plain – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$16M

 

Highgate Springs (Swanton) – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$49M

 

Norton – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$10M

Washington

Kenneth G. Ward (Lynden) – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$29M

 

Pacific Highway (Blaine) – Funding will support installation of low-embodied carbon materials, electric vehicle charging stations, and updated greenscape areas to minimize water usage.

$7M

 

Sumas – Funding will make this facility all-electric and sustainable.

$44M

*IRA funds are approximate and subject to change

The IRA includes $3.4 billion for GSA to use its buying power to promote the development and manufacturing of low-embodied carbon construction materials, and to make federal facilities more sustainable and cost-efficient. GSA’s IRA projects will implement new technologies and accelerate GSA’s efforts in achieving a net-zero emissions federal building portfolio by 2045.  

The BIL includes $3.4 billion for GSA to build and modernize land ports of entry on the country’s northern and southern borders, which will improve commerce and trade, enhance security, create good-paying construction jobs and incorporate innovative sustainability features. This funding also dedicates $100 million to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mission requirements.

###

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing over $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s 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.

For more information about GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act projects, visit Inflation Reduction Act | GSA

For more information about GSA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects, visit Bipartisan Infrastructure Law | GSA