Presidential permits: McAllen, Hidalgo, and Mission, TX; Anzalduas International Crossing project,

[Federal Register: August 12, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 155)]

[Notices]

[Page 44078]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr12au99-122]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of Mexican Affairs

[Public Notice No. 3110]

Notice of Issuance of a Presidential Permit to the cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, Texas, To construct, operate and maintain an international bridge, its approaches and facilities at the international boundary between the United States and Mexico

AGENCY: Department of State.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of State has issued a Presidential Permit to the Cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, Texas, to construct, operate and maintain an international bridge, its approaches and facilities at the international boundary between the United States and Mexico (the ``Anzalduas International Crossing''). The permit was issued July 23, 1999, pursuant to the International Bridge Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 535 et seq.) and Executive Order 11423 of 1968, as amended by Executive Order 12847 of 1993.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Presidential Permit may be obtained from Mr. David E. Randolph, Coordinator, U.S.-Mexico Border Affairs, Office of Mexican Affairs, Room 4258, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520, telephone (202) 647-8529.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of the application by the Cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission, Texas, for a permit to build a new bridge, with access road, to be constructed across the Rio Grande river between McAllen, Texas, and Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was published in the Federal Register on December 22, 1992, at 57 FR 60832. The bridge will carry pedestrian, vehicular and commercial traffic, and is intended to serve growing neighborhoods on the west side of the McAllen-Reynosa area. As a condition for the Presidential Permit, the Cities of McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission have agreed to begin construction of the bridge no earlier than April 1, 2003, and to open the bridge no earlier than January 1, 2005, unless prior to those dates the Secretary of State or the Secretary's delegate determines that the U.S. Congress has provided sufficient funds for construction, operation and support of the bridge.

Furthermore, permanent cargo import facilities will be constructed beginning no earlier than January 1, 2015 unless prior to that date the average northbound cargo traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge reaches 15,000 vehicles per week.

The application for the Presidential Permit was reviewed and approved by numerous federal, state and local agencies. The final application and environmental assessment, which resulted in a finding by the Department of State of no significant impact (``FONSI'') on the human environment, were reviewed and approved or accepted by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, General Services Administration, Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Highway Administration, Food and Drug Administration, International Boundary and Water Commission--U.S. Section, Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of State and appropriate Texas State Agencies: the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

Dated: July 28, 1999. David E. Randolph, Coordinator, U.S.-Mexico Border Affairs, Office of Mexican Affairs.

[FR Doc. 99-20899Filed8-11-99; 8:45 am]

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