Outrageous Fed Foot-dragging: May 12, '04, EPA PORT Plan DRAFT!

[Up2Late]

May 12, 2004, a EPA public notice to view a DRAFT Plan for the "...Use of the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) at Various Sea and Land Ports of Entry!!!!"

Talk about Foot Dragging! If this is any indication of the "good Progress" Bush says they are making?!?! This is BS!

2 1/2 years after September 11, 2001 and they only had a DRAFT PLAN for public viewing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:banghead: :mad: Well it's been almost 2 years since the Draft Plan viewing, I wonder if the final "plan is ready yet!?! Anyone know? This looks to me like a way for Bush to say delay doing anything by saying, "hey, we are working through al the Federal Buracracy..." Boy, do I feel safe now. :mad:

<http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2004/May/Day-12/i10731.htm>

Notice of Availability for Public Viewing of Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Concerning CBP's Use of the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) at Various Sea and Land Ports of Entry

{Federal Register: May 12, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 92)}
{Notices}
{Page 26400-26402}
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access (wais.access.gpo.gov)
{DOCID:fr12my04-60}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection

Notice of Availability for Public Viewing of Draft Programmatic
Environmental Assessment Concerning CBP's Use of the Vehicle and Cargo
Inspection System (VACIS) at Various Sea and Land Ports of Entry

AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
ACTION: General notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document announces that a draft Programmatic
Environmental Assessment (PEA) regarding potential environmental
impacts resulting from Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) deployment
of the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) is available for
public review and comment. The VACIS system will be used at various
ports of entry throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and is
designed to provide a significant non-intrusive (gamma ray) inspection
capability to assist CBP in its mission to prevent the entry of
contraband into the United States. CBP will consider comments before
issuing a final PEA and will then issue a draft Supplemental
Environmental Assessment covering each local site affected to assess
the environmental impact on local conditions.

DATES: The draft PEA will be available for public review for a 30-day
period beginning on May 12, 2004. Written comments must be received by
June 28, 2004.

({Page 26401})


ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, Suite 1575, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20229, Attn: Mr. Thomas Nelson. Copies of the draft PEA will be
available for viewing at the above address. Copies may also be obtained
by calling 202/344-2975 and by accessing the following Internet address
(click on ``Recent Federal Register Notices''):
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/legal. Exit Disclaimer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Thomas Nelson at 202/344-2975 or
at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The VACIS System

CBP's Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (the VACIS system)
provides a means for combatting the smuggling of contraband, including
implements of terrorism, into the United States. The VACIS system
employs a non-intrusive inspection technique that uses low energy gamma
radiation technology; it allows CBP inspectors to inspect for
contraband without having to physically enter into or unload motor
vehicles, containers, or other conveyances. The system is designed to
augment the capabilities of the CBP inspector and enhance the
efficiency and effectiveness of CBP's enforcement mission. Deployment
of VACIS technology is already underway and will continue at various
land and sea ports of entry throughout the United States and Puerto
Rico. Given the serious nature of CBP's mission to protect the nation's
borders from terrorism, it is envisioned that all ports are candidates
for deployment of VACIS technology in the future.
The VACIS system consists of four configurations, described as
follows:
(1) A semi-permanent version designed for inspection of motor
vehicles and cargo containers at Customs ports of entry (VACIS II);
(2) A truck-mounted version designed for high-portability
inspection of motor vehicles and cargo containers (Mobile VACIS);
(3) A fixed version designed specifically for installation along
railroad rights of way for the inspection of railroad cars (Rail
VACIS); and
(4) A Fixed Pallet Gamma Ray (FPGR) system designed for inspection
of items stored on pallets and in boxes or crates (Pallet VACIS).

Public Review of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment

(more at link below)

<http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2004/May/Day-12/i10731.htm>

[mom cat]

1. I am sooooooo relieved that bushie cares for my safety ... not!

[acmejack]

2. Very high on the royal, er, presidential priority list!

As you can plainly tell.

[Up2Late]

3. Yep, maybe we should give him another "Blank Check" to greese...

...the wheels some? :banghead:

[Up2Late]

4. kick n/t

:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. Meahwhile, they can only inspect 5% of port shipping containers.

Quite a contrast from the non-existent investigation/due diligence for the selling of operations of major US ports to the UAE, isn't it?

THREAD COMPILATION on UAE ports operation sale:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=358&topic_id=3199&mesg_id=3199
thread title (2-21-06 Research Forum): UAE/Dubai - US port operations sale - THREAD COMPILATION
http://tinyurl.com/md99b

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x485968
thread title (2-21-06 GD): Dubai/UAE US port operations sale ***THREAD COMPILATION*** Please add!
http://tinyurl.com/ocup5

[Up2Late]

6. If you want to add this to your Research Forum thread, feel free...

...I don't quite understand how it works yet.

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. It's worth figuring it out. At a minimum, the open-edit "opening post"

is an updatable list of reference material, and I've given links and excerpts and/or comments for each one. It's basically chronilogical, with the video threads gathered separately at the end by source. Every time there's an edit, you get to work with the whole thing, which can be a bit unwieldy. But for READING, it's convenient because updates aren't mixed up in the threads but all together.

That's why I also post compilation threads in General Discussion. At the moment it is posted, it's identical to the Research Forum version, but then the opening post can no longer be updated with direct edits. Instead, additions and corrections have to be done in the reply thread. This makes it easier for other people to discuss it (not the purpose of a Research Thread) and post their own links that I've overlookded - and there are a number of them.

In both places I give a link to the html-formatted template I made to make formatted posts. For myself, I keep a running monthly list of what seem the most iimportant threads (using this html-tagged format) and can then easily copy/paste into a DU thread.

When the Replies list in the GD version of a compilation thread get too long and unwieldy, I repost a new, updated version in GD so it's all together in the opening post again, as in the Research Forum. So always check at the end of GD Forum compilation threads of mine to make sure there's not a more recent version. On the other hand, the Research Forum version stays updated because it is open edit, so I don't have to repost.