With push from Sen. Schumer, Customs and Border Protection says it will do a full review of property near Thousand Islands Bridge
Originally published by the Watertown Daily Times
November 26, 2024
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be considering the community-backed proposal to build a new Border Patrol station near the Thousand Islands Bridge, thanks to advocacy from Sen. Charles E. Schumer, local elected officials and the community.
On Monday, a senior CBP official, writing on behalf of the CBP commissioner, confirmed that the agency would be considering the property — which is just north of the cloverleaf intersection of Interstate 81 and Route 12 owned by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority — after project officials last month had sent a letter disqualifying the site.
“Due to the continued interest from the community, and CBP’s commitment to evaluating all potential sites, the cloverleaf TIBA property or a nearby property in
the cloverleaf area will be included in the (supplemental environmental assessment),” wrote Troy A. Miller, a senior official with CBP. “The addition of the cloverleaf-area property will require the completion of biological and cultural resource surveys.”
For years, CBP has been working to construct a new Border Patrol station in the
Thousand Islands region, to replace the overcrowded station on Wellesley Island.
The primary identified site has been on Blind Bay, in the town of Orleans, and local officials, environmentalists and community residents have banded together to express extreme concern over any plan to develop that area of
the St. Lawrence River shoreline.
They argue that Blind Bay is environmentally sensitive, and CBP’s plan to build a new 49,000-square-foot facility with docks, parking garages, kennels and more would interrupt and infringe on the rural, undeveloped character of the area.
CBP has since identified another property, where the current Dock- side Cottages vacation rental cabins are located in the town of Clayton, as a secondary site. That also garnered pushback from local residents, neigh- bors and elected officials, who argue that it would have a terrible impact on the residential character of that neighborhood.
The community, in a series of in- person meetings with CBP officials in August, rallied behind a plan they put forward to build the property by the Thousand Islands Bridge — an area with nearby highway access, more commercial and industrial develop- ment, fewer nearby residences and a less environmentally sensitive ecosystem.
But in September, CBP sent an email to state Assemblyman Scott A. Gray, R-Watertown, rejecting the bridge-adjacent property.
Daniel A. Githens, CBP chief of intergovernmental affairs, said the property would require a split operation because it didn’t have nearby water access, and posed security risks because it could be easily seen from the bridge.
“Placement beneath the Thousand Islands Bridge would enable individuals to monitor the property from a high vantage point without a means to counteract it,” he wrote.
But CBP officials hadn’t undertaken on-site review of the property that was on offer. Local officials said it does have nearby water access un- derneath the bridge structure, and said the overview available from the bridge could be counteracted and was also a point of concern at any other shoreline property being con- sidered.
Now, CBP will conduct a full site re- view of the cloverleaf area property, considering the layout, location, ecology and what impact a construction project would have on nearby plants, animals and human developments.
“Following our repeated efforts to make them reconsider their too- narrow focus on potential sites, CBP has wisely heeded the community’s calls to add the cloverleaf property as a potential site for a new Border Patrol facility,” Schumer said in a statement. “By getting the CBP to do a full public meeting in the north country, I made sure the Thousand Island and St. Lawrence River community had voices heard loud and clear through- out this process. And when it seemed CBP was unwisely not properly considering the cloverleaf property, which local leaders believe is best to ensure the north country’s environ- ment and tourism economy as well as CBP’s mission; I was proud to lead the charge to get them to reverse course.”
The other local elected officials who have worked for years to open a dialogue with the federal agency were thrilled with the news on Monday.
“I want to take a moment to express our gratitude for diligent work and partnership of Senator Chuck Schumer,” Gray said. “His unwavering commitment to our community was instrumental in advocating for the establish of a community forum by Customs and Border Protection. This forum provided a vital platform for residents to engage in important discussions about our shared future.”
Gray also lauded Schumer’s vocal opposition to the Dockside Cottages and Blind Bay development plans, and his efforts to support the cloverleaf project.
Jefferson County Legislators Philip N. Reed, R-Alexandria, and Robert Cantwell, R-Clayton, have also been involved, advocating for their areas of Jefferson County against the Dock- side Cottages and Blind Bay plans.
“This is certainly great news,” Reed said. “It is much appreciated that CBP has listened to the river community’s unified voice and added the addition- al site for consideration of their facility.”
Both men thanked Schumer for his involvement.
Jake R. Tibbles, executive director of the Thousand Islands Land Trust, which bought the Blind Bay property once they heard CBP was considering it and have vowed to fight to keep the land undeveloped, lauded Schumer’s work.
“His persistence has ensured that the river community has a voice in this critical issue,” he said. “While we still must navigate the completion of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment, it is very encouraging that Customs and Border Protection is considering TIBA as a community- supported alternative.”
John M. Peach, executive director of Save the River, an environmental group that has led opposition to the Blind Bay development plan, said he is also pleased.
“We are pleased to learn that the collaborative efforts of Save the River, TILT and the Save Blind Bay Coalition, coupled with the unwavering support of our river community, have led Customs and Border Protection to consider the cloverleaf as an alternative site for their facility,” he said. “Thank you to Senator Schumer and everyone involved for their efforts.”
Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul added her voice to the chorus of federal, local and state officials calling for CBP to consider local residents’ demands and not build on Blind Bay. In a state- ment Monday, she said this is a positive development in line with what she was hoping to see happen.
“My message to U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been clear since day one: No facility at Blind Bay,” she said. “The decision to include the cloverleaf property as part of the review for a new facility is a welcome step and I applaud our partners at the federal level as well as the countless advocates in the north country for this victory. Blind Bay is a natural beauty and important eco- systems must be preserved and protected.”
The governor said she will continue to voice opposition to the construction of a facility on Blind Bay and said she urges the federal agency to consider the cloverleaf seriously.
