Proposed Road Improvement, Repair, Construction, and Decommissioning - Coronado National Forest Nogales Ranger District Pima and Santa Cruz Counties, Arizona – November 2024

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service Coronado National Forest Nogales Ranger District, has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and invites your participation in the public comment process to understand your comments regarding the proposed Holden Canyon Connector Road Project (Proposed Action). The Proposed Action proposes to improve and repair 8.68 miles of existing unpaved roads located to the east and to the west of Holden Canyon, construct 3.75 miles of unpaved road through Holden Canyon, and decommission 3.57 miles of unpaved road segments within the Nogales Ranger District in Pima and Santa Cruz counties, Arizona. 

The Draft EA analyzes the potential for the Proposed Action and alternatives to result in significant adverse environmental effects and beneficial effects on the environment. Resources identified for analysis in the Draft EA include the following: 

• Air Quality 
• Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases 
• Cultural Resources 
• Fire and Fuels 
• Range Resources 
• Recreation 
• Scenery/Visual Resources 
• Soils 
• Watershed, Surface Waters, and Ephemeral Drainages 
• Vegetation/Botanical Communities and Invasive Species 
• Wildlife/Special Status Species 

CBP is gathering data and input from the public and state and local government agencies that may be affected by, or would otherwise have an interest in, this Proposed Action. 

Comments will be accepted until December 9, 2024, through the U.S. Forest Service Public Comment Form at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=64326 or submitted to the CBP project webpage at holdencanyonconnectorroad@cbp.dhs.gov, or mailed to: 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters 
Program Management Office Directorate 
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. 6.5E Mail Stop 1039 
Washington, DC 20229-1100 
Attn: Michelle Barnes 

Please reference “Holden Canyon Connector Road” in your response. 

The Draft EA and CBP Draft Finding of No Significant Impact are also available at the following libraries: 

• Caviglia-Arivaca Library, 17050 West Arivaca Road, Arivaca, AZ 85601 
• Nogales-Rochlin Public Library, 518 North Grand Avenue, Nogales, AZ