November 21, 2024
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Schumer:
This letter is in response to your October 16, 2024, correspondence regarding your request for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to include the Cloverleaf property, owned by the Thousand Island Bridge Authority (TIBA), as a potential site under the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the proposed U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) facility in the Wellesley Island Border Patrol Station area of responsibility.
CBP prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in February 2022 that analyzed potential effects resulting from proposed construction and operation of a new Border Patrol station in the U.S. Border Patrol Buffalo Sector, Wellesley Island Station area of responsibility. The proposed project includes the construction of a new 49,000-square-foot facility to accommodate current and near-future staff and the associated relocation of current operations on Wellesley Island.
The original proposed location for the new Border Patrol station that was evaluated in the draft EA is approximately 20 acres and in Orleans, New York. This location is next to Blind Bay, with frontage along New York State Route 12 and the St. Lawrence River.
CBP also conducted additional environmental surveys at this site and will include results in a draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) that will also address questions and concerns raised in public comments. CBP will issue a public notice upon publication to afford local community members with the opportunity to review and provide public comments on the draft SEA.
CBP is committed to carefully evaluating all possible sites to ensure that whichever site is selected is operationally viable, safe, and is secured to the necessary standard for a federal law enforcement station. Due to continued interest from the community and CBP’s commitment to evaluating all potential sites, the Cloverleaf TI BA property or a nearby property in the Cloverleaf area will be included in the SEA. The addition of a Cloverleaf-area property will require the completion of biological and cultural resource surveys. These surveys will be completed in the summer of 2025 for the most favorable seasonal conditions and to comply with survey requirements. The SEA will build upon the analysis and information provided in the draft EA by including a description of the baseline environmental conditions present at all location alternatives analyzed in the SEA. It is anticipated that the draft SEA will be released for public review in the fall of 2025.
Should you need additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me, or have a member of your staff contact Stephanie A. Talton, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Congressional Affairs, at 202-344-1760.
Sincerely,
Troy A. Miller
Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner
