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  4. Draft Environmental Assessment for Integrated Fixed Towers on the Tohono O’odham Nation in the Ajo and Casa Grande Stations’ Areas of Responsibility, U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector, Arizona

Draft Environmental Assessment for Integrated Fixed Towers on the Tohono O’odham Nation in the Ajo and Casa Grande Stations’ Areas of Responsibility, U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector, Arizona

The public is hereby notified of the availability of U.S. Custom and Border Protection’s (CBP) Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the construction, operation, and maintenance of 15 new integrated fixed tower sites on the Tohono O’odham Nation, within the Chukut Kuk and Gu-Vo Districts, in Pima County, Arizona.  The Proposed Action includes collocating equipment on two existing communication towers and within two command and control facilities in U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector.  The Proposed Action also includes the construction of 14 new access roads (up to 0.24 miles total) and improvement of approach roads (up to 70.90 miles total) on the Tohono O’odham Nation, as well as maintenance and repair of these roads.  Approach roads are existing private or public roads used to travel to a tower site.  Access roads are short road segments from an approach road into a tower site.  The Proposed Action represents CBP’s plan to develop technology and supporting infrastructure to provide a persistent surveillance capability along approximately 63 miles of the U.S. border in U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector. 

Comments concerning the Draft EA and Draft FONSI will be accepted for a period of 30 days from April 15 to May 16, 2016, and must be sent to Paul C. Schmidt using one of the following methods:

U.S. Mail: 
Mr. Paul C. Schmidt, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition, 1901 S. Bell Street, Suite 600, Arlington, VA 20598

Facsimile: (571) 468-7391

E-mail: OTIAENVIRONMENTAL@cbp.dhs.gov

When submitting comments, please include your name and address, and identify your comments as for the “Draft EA and Draft FONSI for Integrated Fixed Towers on the Tohono O’odham Nation.”  To ensure consideration, comments must be received or postmarked by May 16, 2016.

The final environmental assessment and decision documents would also be posted on this website.

Last Modified: Apr 14, 2016