GSA completes environmental review, moving forward on port projects in Whatcom County

January 14, 2025

Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act will enable these projects to improve border operations, support economic growth

TACOMA, Wash. – Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) released its Record of Decision [PDF - 2 MB] that accompanies the Final Environmental Impact Statement [PDF - 11 MB] for the expansion and modernization of the Kenneth G. Ward (Lynden) and Sumas land ports of entry in Whatcom County, Washington.

Both the Lynden and Sumas land ports require modernization to better serve federal operations and the traveling public’s needs. At Lynden, space limitations cause frequent congestion in the commercial vehicle lane and commercial vehicles often travel farther distances to other ports that offer more efficient processing. The Sumas port also does not have enough space for efficient traffic flow, which impedes the port’s operations and causes traffic and safety concerns in the surrounding community.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement describes the purpose and need for the projects; alternatives considered; the existing environment that could be affected; the potential impacts resulting from each studied alternative; proposed mitigation measures; and GSA’s preferred alternative.

GSA selected “Alternative 3, North-South Oriented LPOE Expansion” for the Kenneth G. Ward land port of entry in Lynden and “Alternative 4, Multi-Story Construction LPOE Expansion” for the Sumas land port of entry.

Under “Alternative 3, North-South Oriented LPOE Expansion”, the new layout for the port in Lynden will be oriented north-south and located to the west and south of the existing port. This orientation option will facilitate more efficient commercial traffic flow (being in line or parallel to the proposed north-south oriented non-commercial flow) and will mimic the port’s existing north-south traffic flow.

Under “Alternative 4, Multi-Story Construction LPOE Expansion”, the port in Sumas will see operational space within the Main Building consolidated on multiple levels, minimizing the overall building footprint. Sumas LPOE Alternative 4 could also include an employee pedestrian bridge over Cherry Street, linking the east side parking and commercial outbound inspection facility with the west side’s Main Building and adjoining commercial inspection facility, further increasing employee safety as they cross the port.

The proposed port configurations have not been established and design considerations are ongoing.

The Record of Decision presents the rationale for GSA’s decisions. This decision is based on the Final Environmental Impact Statement that GSA issued in November 2024; associated technical reports; comments from federal and state agencies, members of the public and elected officials; and other documents contained in the administrative record.

“The land ports of entry in Lynden and Sumas are not only crucial passageways for commercial vehicles, but also serve as a bridge between closely-tied American and Canadian communities,” said Sukhee Kang, Regional Administrator for GSA’s Northwest/Arctic Region. “Now that we have completed our environmental review, we can begin the work of designing new, expanded facilities that will make it faster, safer and easier for all who enter our country through Whatcom County. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, GSA will deliver state-of-the-art facilities that will support cross-border community and economic vitality in the Pacific Northwest.” 

The expansion will significantly increase efficiency and security, improving the flow of traffic at the port, enhancing border security measures and reducing wait times. The new infrastructure is designed to support the latest technology in U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection operations.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of over 360 million rentable square feet, overseeing more than $110 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.