Proposed Small Water Treatment Plant and Septic System Replacement Project: Highway 86 Checkpoint, Imperial County, California

PUBLIC NOTICE
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
In accordance with 44 CFR §9.8 for Executive Order 11988
Proposed Small Water Treatment Plant and Septic System Replacement Project
Highway 86 Checkpoint, Imperial County, California

United States (U.S.) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposes improvements at the existing U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Checkpoint at California (CA) Highway 86 (CA-86) near the city of Westmorland in Imperial County, California. The improvements will include the construction of a small water treatment plant and the upgrade and relocation of a septic system and leach field on previously disturbed property.

This notification is given in accordance with Executive Order (EO) 11988 Floodplain Management, EO 11990 Protection of Wetlands, and 44 CFR Part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands. Under Executive Order (EO) 11988 and EO 11990, CBP is required to consider alternatives, and to provide a public notice of any proposed actions in or affecting floodplains or wetlands.

Location of Proposed Work:

The Highway 86 Checkpoint is located at 3900 CA-86, Westmorland, CA 92281, on the northbound lanes of Highway 86 about 22 miles northwest of Brawley, Imperial County, California.

Special Flood Hazard Area Zone:

A branch of the San Felipe Creek is located approximately 0.1 mile to the south of the project area, and the entire 5.38-acre project areas is within the 100-year floodplain of San Felipe Creek. The existing USBP Checkpoint and all proposed work is located in a floodplain A zone. Confirmation of location in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) was determined by the Imperial County Flood Insurance Rate Map, Panel Number: 06025C0975C, dated 9/26/2008. The proposed work conforms to all applicable State of California and local floodplain regulations. There is a potential for the facilities to be impacted by future flooding events due to the locations within the A zone. The proposed work will not take place in wetlands per the United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory and recent field investigation conducted to inform a jurisdictional determination and will have little potential to impact or affect wetland values. A map of the project area showing the flood zone can be found via the link on this page.

Proposed Work and Purpose:

CBP is proposing to install a small water treatment plant and replace and relocate a septic system and leach field at the USBP Highway 86 Checkpoint, Westmorland, CA. The Highway 86 Checkpoint has no potable water supply. The current septic system is inadequate, and the leach field extends onto neighboring private property. The objective of this project is to improve the health and safety of the assigned agents.

Project Alternatives:

Alternative #1 (No action): The 'no action' alternative will not result in any alterations to the existing floodplain. The improvements to the small water treatment plant and septic system will not take place under the ‘no action’ alternative and the objective of improving the health and safety of assigned agents will not be met.

Alternative #2 (Implementation): Implementation of the proposed action would consist of the installation of a small water treatment plant and the relocation of a septic system and leach filed in the 5.38-acre area to the east of the current Highway 86 Checkpoint. The implementation of septic system improvements at the Highway 86 Checkpoint would meet the objective of improving the health and safety of assigned agents. Furthermore, the proposed improvements will take place outside of the incised channel of San Felipe Creek, and at an elevation approximately 10 feet higher than that of the main channel and are not anticipated to result in significant permanent changes to the topography within the existing floodplain and is not anticipated to impact the conveyance of floodwater in the floodplain or in downstream areas.

Comment Period:

Comments about this project, potential alternatives, and floodplain impacts may be submitted within 15 days of the date of this publication via email to BPAMNEPA@cbp.dhs.gov or in writing to Mr. John Petrilla, Border Patrol & Air and Marine Program Management Office, 24000 Avila Road, Suite 5020, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. CBP will evaluate and address the comments as part of the environmental documentation for this project if substantive comments are received.