U.S. General Services Administration
General Services Administration releases Draft Environmental Impact Statement, announces public hearing in Lynden and Sumas port projects
TACOMA, Wash. ㅡIn compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will host a public meeting regarding the expansion and modernization projects at the Kenneth G. Ward (Lynden) and Sumas Land Ports of Entry (LPOE) in Whatcom County, Wash. The meeting will give the public an opportunity to comment on the recently-published draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which analyzes the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts resulting from the proposed projects. The draft EIS also includes a Floodplain Assessment and Statement of Findings, to assess the proposed construction in a floodplain at the Sumas LPOE.
What:
Public Meeting regarding the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Lynden and Sumas LPOE projects
When:
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
6-8 p.m. PDT
Where:
American Legion Post 212
134 Harrison St.
Sumas, WA 98295
The meeting will begin with a presentation and will be followed by a public comment session. Representatives from GSA and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be in attendance to answer questions and assist attendees with providing comments on the draft EIS.
Members of the public are encouraged to submit comments on the draft EIS. Public comments can be provided using the following methods:
- Public Meeting: Attend the public meeting on September 4, 2024 in Sumas and provide verbal comments or written comments during the meeting.
- Email: Electronic comments should be sent to the Lynden and Sumas LPOE project email addresses: LyndenLPOE@gsa.gov or SumasLPOE@GSA.gov. Include Lynden and Sumas LPOE Draft EIS in the subject line.
- Mail: Mailed comments can be sent to:
U.S. General Services Administration
Attention: Patrick Manning, Capital Project Manager
1301 A Street Suite 610
Tacoma WA 98402
All written comments must be postmarked or submitted by September 23, 2024.
Both the Lynden and Sumas LPOEs require modernization to better serve the government’s and traveling public’s needs. At the Lynden LPOE, 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 LPOE does not have enough space for efficient traffic flow or safe and secure inspection areas, which impede the port’s operations, and cause traffic and safety concerns in the surrounding area. These two projects will improve port operations and capability. The new, modern, and energy-efficient facilities will meet the government’s mission requirements and improve travelers’ crossing experience.
Additional project information and all documents related to the draft EIS are available at: gsa.gov/Lynden and gsa.gov/Sumas.
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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.
Christi Chidester Votisek
Public Affairs Officer
Northwest/Arctic Region
Office: 253-931-7127
Cell: 415-816-8512
christina.chidester@gsa.gov