FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A small group of community members joined federal officials for a public meeting Wednesday on the coming Fort Fairfield port of entry project, but none offered comments.
General Services Administration officials are seeking feedback on a draft environmental assessment that analyzes a 20-acre area where the border station construction would take place.
Planning started two years ago. Fort Fairfield’s 91-year-old border crossing facility no longer meets size, energy efficiency or security guidelines and can’t manage the amount of traffic that uses it today. It also needs utilities upgrades. Public input on the environmental study draft will help officials choose whether to take no action, leaving the station as is even though it is inadequate, or build a new facility.
Environmental analysts studied potential impacts of construction on such factors as land use and zoning, traffic, geology and soil, wildlife, water resources, cultural and tribal resources, noise, air quality and hazardous materials.
“Overall, the action alternative would have mostly negligible effects — temporary road closures, construction noise, increased air emissions and temporary closure of the port of entry,” said Tina Sekula, senior environmental scientist with consulting firm Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson.
Geology would suffer moderate effects due to excavation and the likely transition of some farmland to non-agricultural land, and some wildlife habitat could be removed, she said.
The 71-page draft proposes two alternatives: construct a new port of entry and demolish the old building, or do nothing and keep the property as is. The “no action” option is required as a means of comparison, said Gene Mozzoni, General Services Administration project manager for New England.
If that option is chosen, no new construction would take place but necessary maintenance would continue.
The new building option would require federal officials to purchase about 12 acres of private property and three residences, Mozzoni said.
Landowners would receive relocation benefits under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, he said.
The act provides assistance and protection for people when their property is acquired for federal use, or if they are displaced from their homes or businesses.
The draft environmental assessment included 2.5 acres of mostly fallow agricultural land and 6 acres of forest, according to the report. The land does not include any critical wildlife habitat. Canada lynx were noted within the parcel.
Planners would work with property owners who would be affected and would also observe special conditions to protect lynx populations, Sekula said.
Protected bird species occurring in the area included bald eagle, bobolink, chimney swift, evening grosbeak, rose-breasted grosbeak and veery, according to the assessment.
Because the existing border station is on the National Register of Historic Places, planners would also seek input from historical preservation officials.
Mozzoni and Sekula opened the floor for comments, but none of the nine people attending spoke.
“That means we’ve done our job in informing everyone,” Sekula said.
The final environmental assessment is expected in September and will contain the selected plan: no action or new construction. Public input is crucial to help planners address concerns, she said.
Public comments will be accepted until June 30. People can email fortfairfield.LPOE@gsa.gov and put “Fort Fairfield Draft EA” in the subject line, or write to the U.S. General Services Administration, Attention: Eugene Mozzoni, Project Manager, O’Neill Federal Building, 11th Floor, 10 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02222.
Fort Fairfield and Limestone are two of five Maine border stations to receive upgrades through the $3.4 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $195 million of which has been allocated to Maine. Other stations will include Houlton, Calais Ferry and, on the Quebec border, Coburn Gore.
