U.S. General Services Administration
U.S. General Services Administration to host public meeting for the new Highgate Springs, Vermont, Land Port of Entry
BOSTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will host a public meeting to receive comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment [PDF - 34 MB] for the proposed construction of a new Land Port of Entry at Highgate Springs, Vermont. The Environmental Assessment is developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
The public is encouraged to attend and participate in the public meeting on:
WHEN: Tuesday, October 29, 2024, starting at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: St. Albans Town Hall, Port Washington Room,
398 Georgia Shore Road, St. Albans City, VT
The public meeting will begin with a presentation that provides an overview of the National Environmental Policy Act process, the proposed project, and the findings of the Draft
Environmental Assessment. Following the presentation, there will be a moderated session during which members of the public will be able to provide comments verbally or in writing. A stenographer will be present to record all comments.
The Highgate Springs Land Port of Entry – one of the busiest land ports in New England with over 500,000 vehicles passing through the port each year – is located across the U.S.-Canada border from the companion Canadian port in St. Armand, Quebec. The port is at the terminus of Interstate 89 (I-89) and Canada Route 133 which connects to Canada Autoroute-35 (A-35).
The new facility, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is needed due to the planned extension of Autoroute A-35. This extension will connect to I-89 at Highgate Springs and is expected to increase traffic through the port by approximately 30 percent. GSA is proposing to acquire additional land and to construct a larger facility that expands and
modernizes the existing port. The new replacement facility will allow federal inspection agencies to operate more efficiently. A new facility will enable the port to handle the anticipated traffic increase at this border crossing, expediting crossing times for the traveling public and businesses that rely on binational commerce.
The Highgate Springs project will incorporate sustainability features that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate environmental impact, and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change.
The new port will meet the federal government’s mission requirements, while improving the safety of officers and the traveling public. It will provide for an efficient flow of people and commerce and allow for additional border security measures and technologies.
Written comments may be provided at any time during the public comment period, which will begin on October 16, 2024, and must be submitted or postmarked by November 19, 2024, using one of the following methods:
● In-Person: Submit written comments at the public meeting via comment forms to be distributed at the meeting.
● Email: Send an email to highgatesprings.lpoe@gsa.gov and reference “Highgate Springs LPOE EA” in the subject line.
● Mail: Send written comments to the following address:
U.S General Services Administration
Attention: John Maurer, Project Manager
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr., Federal Building
10 Causeway Street, 11th Floor
Boston, MA 02222-1077
Hard copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment are available for review at: the St. Albans Free Library at 11 Maiden Lane in St. Albans; and the St. Albans City Hall at 100 North Main Street in St. Albans.
Project information, including a video recording of this public meeting, will be available on the project webpage.
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.