Authorizing Cameron County, Texas, To Construct, Maintain, and Operate a Pedestrian Border Crossing at the Gateway International Bridge Land Port of Entry
This document is a Presidential Permit authorizing Cameron County, Texas, to construct, maintain, and operate a pedestrian border crossing at the Gateway International Bridge Land Port of Entry (LPOE) on the U.S.-Mexico border near Brownsville, Texas. The permit, issued by the President, sets out the conditions, procedures, and oversight for the project, and it ties the project to multiple federal requirements and agencies. In practice, it enables the county to build a new northbound/southbound pedestrian crossing as part of the Gateway International Bridge modernization, while placing extensive environmental, legal, financial, and intergovernmental obligations on the permittee. Key features include mandatory environmental mitigation, compliance with federal laws, liability indemnification of the United States, coordination with major federal agencies (State Department, DHS/CBP, General Services Administration, International Boundary and Water Commission), and specific pre-construction and design requirements. The permit also limits the permittee’s authority to transfer ownership or modify the project without presidential approval and provides for a defined expiration if construction does not commence within five years. Overall, it creates a tightly managed pathway for Cameron County to advance a pedestrian border crossing with substantial federal oversight and potential interagency commitments.
Key Points
- 1Authorization to construct, maintain, and operate a pedestrian border crossing at the Gateway International Bridge LPOE in Brownsville, TX, subject to detailed federal conditions; the crossing would serve northbound and southbound pedestrian traffic.
- 2Extensive conditions and oversight, including:
- 3- Compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations.
- 4- Stamp of approval for environmental mitigation and access for federal, state, and local agencies to inspect facilities.
- 5- Indemnification of the United States for liability including environmental contamination.
- 6- Pre-construction requirements such as design-phase plans, donor/acceptance proposals for inspection facilities, and modernization plans coordinated with federal agencies.
- 7Interagency coordination and approvals:
- 8- Requirement to obtain concurrence from the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) before design activities begin.
- 9- Department of State notification and diplomatic note exchanges with Mexico must be completed before construction begins.
- 10- Provisions for sharing information with the President and federal agencies on conditions, compliance, and changes in ownership or operation.
- 11Transfer, funding, and facility terms:
- 12- Permittee may transfer custody/control or ownership only with presidential approval and subject to conditions deemed appropriate by the President.
- 13- The permit contemplates potential donations or agreements with DHS/CBP regarding inspection facilities and related infrastructure, with no guaranteed level of federal service or staffing.
- 14Temporal limits and termination:
- 15- The permit expires if construction has not commenced within five years of issuance.
- 16- The President can terminate, revoke, or amend the permit at any time with the constraints that amendments depend on funding availability.
- 17- If the crossing is permanently closed, the permit terminates and the facility may be managed or disposed of per applicable authorities.
- 18- Importantly, the permit states it does not create any enforceable rights against the United States.