[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 15161-15162] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-7021] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS No. 1626ROD-94] Record of Decision for the Program of Protecting the Southwest Border Through the Interdiction of Illegal Drugs With the Support of Joint Task Force Six AGENCY: The Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice (lead); Joint Task Force Six, Department of Defense (cooperating); and Environmental Protection Agency (cooperating). action: Notice of availability of the record of decision. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- summary: This Notice is to announce that the Record of Decision (ROD) for the continuation of the Joint Task Force Six (JTF-6) activities along the United States (U.S.)/Mexico border, jointly signed by JTF-6 and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), is available. The JTF-6 program involves providing operational, engineering, and general support to law enforcement agencies (LEAs) that have drug interdiction responsibilities within the southwestern border states. The JTF-6's primary area of concern is within a 50-mile-wide corridor along the U.S./Mexico border from Port Arthur, Texas, to San Diego, California. addresses: Copies of the ROD are available upon written request to either of the following addresses: 1. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, CESWF-PL-RE, P.O. Box 17300, 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-0300. 2. Immigration and Naturalization Service, 425 I Street NW, Facilities Branch (Room 2003), Washington, DC 20536. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Statutory Authority This Notice of Availability (NOA) is being issued in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Public Law 91-190, and Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR 1500-1508. [[Page 15162]] Background JTF-6 was activated on November 13, 1989, at Fort Bliss, Texas, by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the President's National Drug Control Strategy. The mission of JTF-6 is to plan and coordinate military training along the U.S. Southwest Land Border in support of counter-drug activities by Federal, State, and Local LEAs, as requested through Operation Alliance and approved by the Secretary of Defense or a designated representative. The INS is responsible for the prevention of smuggling and unlawful entry of aliens into the United States. This task of the Border Patrol often results in the interdiction of drugs between the U.S. land Ports- of-Entry. The INS Border Patrol has been the primary beneficiary of most JTF-6 engineering actions to date, which have included reconnaissance operations, and fence and road construction. For this reason, the INS elected to act as lead agency for the preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). The PEIS analyzed cumulative environmental impacts of previous actions performed by JTF- 6, and generically examined the impacts of future individual actions, which may be developed within the reasonably foreseeable future, based on experience with similar past actions. The PEIS also described the different types of actions performed by JTF-6. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and JTF-6 elected to act as cooperating agencies. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the PEIS was published in the Federal Register on July 15, 1993, at 58 FR 38140. The Draft PEIS was filed with the EPA and published in the Federal Register on April 15, 1994, at 59 FR 18115; the Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Draft PEIS was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 1994, at 59 FR 26322. The Final PEIS was filed with the EPA on August 11, 1994, and published in the Federal Register on August 19, 1994, at 59 FR 42831; the NOA of the Final PEIS was published in the Federal Register on October 5, 1994, at 59 FR 50773. In accordance with NEPA, this ROD is the concluding step in the PEIS process. Dated: March 9, 1995. Doris Meissner, Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service. [FR Doc. 95-7021 Filed 3-21-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-10-M