Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 8, 2024 / Presidential Documents 81289 

Presidential Permit of October 3, 2024 

Authorizing Southwebb Bridge Company LLC To Construct, 

Maintain, and Operate a Vehicular and Pedestrian Border 

Crossing Near Laredo, Texas, at the International Boundary 

Between the United States and Mexico 

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States 

of America (the ‘‘President’’), I hereby grant permission, subject to the conditions set forth herein, to Southwebb Bridge Company LLC (the ‘‘permittee’’) 

to construct, maintain, and operate a vehicular and pedestrian crossing 

located on the United States border with Mexico in Laredo, Texas, as described in the ‘‘Presidential Permit Application Laredo 4/5 International 

Bridge’’ dated March 15, 2022 (‘‘March 15, 2022, Application’’), by the 

permittee to the Secretary of State and determined to be complete on June 

6, 2024, in accordance with 33 U.S.C. 535d and associated procedures. 

The term ‘‘Border facilities’’ as used in this permit consists of the bridge, 

its approaches, and any land, structures, installations, or equipment appurtenant thereto located on the United States side of the international boundary 

between the United States and Mexico in the proposed project site located 

approximately 12.6 miles south/southeast of the City of Laredo, Texas, approximately 3.0 miles west of U.S. Highway 83, approximately 4.4 miles 

southwest of Texas State Highway Loop 20, approximately 10.5 miles southwest of State Highway 359, and approximately 10.6 miles south of Interstate 

Highway 35. 

This permit is subject to the following conditions: 

Article 1. The Border facilities herein described and all aspects of their 

operation are subject to all the conditions, permissions, and requirements 

of this permit and any subsequent Presidential amendment to it. The construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities shall be in 

all material respects as described in the March 15, 2022, Application. 

Article 2. The standards for and the manner of construction, maintenance, 

and operation of the Border facilities are subject to inspection by the representatives of appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies. The permittee 

shall grant officers and employees of such agencies that are duly authorized 

and performing their official duties free and unrestricted access to said 

Border facilities. 

Article 3. The permittee shall comply with all applicable Federal laws 

and regulations regarding the construction, maintenance, and operation of 

the Border facilities. 

Article 4. (1) The permittee shall take or cause to be taken all appropriate 

measures to mitigate adverse impacts on or disruption of the human environment in connection with the construction, maintenance, and operation of 

the Border facilities. Mitigation measures are those that avoid, minimize, 

or compensate for adverse impacts. 

(2) The permittee shall hold harmless and indemnify the United States 

for any claimed or adjudged liability arising out of construction, maintenance, 

and operation of the Border facilities, including environmental contamination 

from the release, threatened release, or discharge of hazardous substances 

or hazardous waste. 


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(3) The permittee is responsible for obtaining any required Federal, State, 

and local permits, approvals, and authorizations prior to commencing construction activities. The permittee shall implement the mitigation identified 

in any environmental decision documents prepared in accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act and Federal permits, including 

stormwater permits and permits issued in accordance with section 402 of 

the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1342). The permittee shall comply with 

applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws. 

Article 5. The permittee shall immediately notify the President or the President’s designee of any decision to transfer custody and control of the Border 

facilities or any part thereof to any executive department or agency (agency) 

of the United States Government. Said notice shall identify the transferee 

agency and seek the approval of the President for the transfer of the permit. 

In the event of approval by the President of such transfer, this permit 

shall remain in force and effect, and the Border facilities shall be subject 

to all the conditions, permissions, and requirements of this permit and 

any amendments thereof. The permittee may transfer ownership or control 

of the Border facilities to a non-Federal entity or individual only upon 

the prior express approval of such transfer by the President, which approval 

may include such conditions, permissions, and requirements that the President, in the President’s discretion, determines are appropriate and necessary 

for inclusion in the permit, to be effective on the date of transfer. 

Article 6. The permittee is responsible for acquiring and maintaining any 

right-of-way grants or easements, permits, and other authorizations as may 

become necessary or appropriate. To ensure the safe operation of the Border 

facilities, the permittee shall maintain them and every part of them in 

a condition of good repair and in compliance with applicable law and 

use of best management practices. 

Article 7. To the extent authorized by law, and consistent with any Donation 

Acceptance Agreements (DAAs) already executed with the permittee under 

the Donation Acceptance Authority found in 6 U.S.C. 301a and section 

559 of title V of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 

(Public Law 113–76), as amended, as continued by 6 U.S.C. 301b, the permittee shall provide to the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Commissioner) of the Department of Homeland Security and the heads 

of any other relevant agencies, at no cost to the United States, suitable 

inspection facilities, infrastructure improvements, equipment, and maintenance, as set forth in the DAAs. Nothing in this permit obligates such 

agencies to provide a particular level of services or staffing for such inspection 

facilities or for any other aspect of the port of entry associated with the 

Border facilities. 

Article 8. Before beginning design activities, the permittee shall fulfill requirements associated with the following conditions, as refined by the relevant agencies below and as consistent with applicable law: 

(1) Obtain the concurrence of the United States Section of the International 

Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico; 

(2) Provide a plan for the approval of the Commissioner detailing how 

the permittee will fund the necessary staffing by U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection for the Border facilities upon commencement of operations and 

thereafter; 

(3) Provide a plan for the approval of the Administrator of General Services 

(Administrator) and the Commissioner detailing how the permittee will fund 

the necessary operations and maintenance costs for the Border facilities 

upon commencement of operations and thereafter; 

(4) Provide a plan for the approval of the Administrator and the Commissioner detailing how the permittee will fund construction, outfitting (furniture, fixtures, and equipment to include information technology and necessary inspection technologies), technology integration, and outyear refresh 


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of said program elements for the Border facilities detailed in their March 

15, 2022, Application; and 

(5) Provide a plan for the approval of the Secretary of Transportation 

detailing construction and funding of commercial motor vehicle inspection 

facilities and detailing how the permittee will ensure the necessary funding 

for appropriate Department of Transportation staffing and operations and 

maintenance costs for the Border facilities upon commencement of operations 

and thereafter. 

Relevant agencies will coordinate with the permittee to further refine the 

above conditions, as necessary, within 1 year of permit issuance. 

Article 9. The permittee shall not initiate construction until the Department 

of State has provided notification to the permittee that the Department 

of State has completed its exchange of diplomatic notes with the Government 

of Mexico regarding authorization. The permittee shall provide written notification to the President or the President’s designee at the time that the 

construction authorized by this permit begins, at the time as such construction is completed, interrupted, or discontinued, and at other times as may 

be requested by the President. 

Article 10. Upon request, the permittee shall provide appropriate information 

to the President or the President’s designee with regard to the Border facilities. Such requests could include requests for information concerning current 

conditions, environmental compliance, mitigation, or anticipated changes 

in ownership or control, construction, connection, operation, or maintenance 

of the Border facilities. 

Article 11. The permittee shall file any applicable statements and reports 

required by applicable Federal law in connection with the Border facilities. 

Article 12. The permittee shall make no substantial change inconsistent 

with the March 15, 2022, Application to the Border facilities, in the location 

of the Border facilities, or in the operation authorized by this permit, unless 

such changes have been approved by the President. The President may 

terminate, revoke, or amend this permit at any time at the President’s sole 

discretion. The permittee’s obligation to implement any amendment to this 

permit is subject to the availability of funds. If the permittee permanently 

closes the Laredo 4/5 International Bridge and it is no longer used as 

an international crossing, then this permit shall terminate, and the permittee 

may manage, utilize, or dispose of the Border facilities in accordance with 

applicable authorities. This permit shall continue in full force and effect 

for only so long as the permittee continues the operations hereby authorized. 

Article 13. This permit shall expire 5 years from the date of its issuance 

if the permittee has not commenced construction of the Border facilities 

by that date. 

Article 14. This permit is not intended to, and does not, create any right 

or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by 

any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, 

its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. 


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United 

States of America, have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, 

in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence 

of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23401 

Filed 10–7–24; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3395–F4–P 


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