Imperial County Border Infrastructure Project (May 2019)

CBP announces the availability of the Final Environmental Stewardship Plan (ESP) for the border infrastructure project in Imperial County funded in Fiscal Year 2019 by the Department of Defense pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 284.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a constructing new border barrier project in Imperial County, California. CBP is replacing approximately 15 miles of existing vehicle barrier with new steel bollard fencing. The proposed project also includes the improvement and construction of roads and the installation of lighting and other detection technology. 

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), pursuant to the authority granted under Section 102(c) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), issued an environmental waiver on May 15, 2019 covering the project described in this ESP. Although the Secretary’s waiver means that CBP no longer has legal obligations under the laws included in the waiver, the Secretary has committed DHS to responsible stewardship of the Nation’s valuable natural and cultural resources.

The ESP was developed following environmental and cultural resource surveys of the project areas, coordination and consultation with resource agencies and other interested stakeholders, evaluation of possible impacts, and identification of measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts. From May to June 2019, CBP sought public input on potential impacts to the environment, culture, and commerce, including potential socioeconomic impacts, and quality of life. The comment period closed on June 6, 2019.