DUNSEITH, N.D. — The port of entry in Dunseith, North Dakota is one of 26 land ports of entry selected for a modernization project funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
According to a release from the U.S. General Services Administration, the project will seek to strengthen supply chains, create jobs and enhance security and trade.
The release said the project will upgrade the Dunseith Port of Entry to satisfy current and future operational needs, address site constraints and enable efficient vehicle movement across the border to foster economic growth and job creation in surrounding communities.
“America’s land ports are vital to our economy and our security, with billions of dollars in goods and services crossing our borders each and every day,” GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan said in the release. “These bipartisan investments are a historic opportunity to modernize our land ports in ways that will create good-paying jobs and strengthen supply chains, while enhancing safety and security.”
The GSA estimates that the $3.4 billion in direct spending under the law will support 6,000 annual jobs over the next eight years, add $3.23 billion in total labor income across the U.S., contribute an additional $4.5 billion to the National GDP and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for state, local and federal governments.
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“Our underfunded and outdated infrastructure has real costs to families, our economy and our global competitiveness,” said Senior Advisor and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. “President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing in strengthening our supply chains, including our land ports, which are vital for moving goods across our borders.”
“We are pleased that our land port of entry project in North Dakota will receive much-needed funding and provide good-paying jobs with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Penny Grout, acting regional administrator. “Being able to expand and modernize the Dunseith Land Port of Entry will help facilitate increased trade and tourism while ensuring the safety and protection of the American people.“
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said the investment will bring "more than just traditional dollars for roads, highways and bridges."
"This funding for our land port of entry in Dunseith is a boon for North Dakota and for the country to strengthen supply chains and enhance security and jobs,” Cramer said.
These projects also provide the opportunity to incorporate sustainability features that will sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the impact of buildings on the environment and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change.
Many of these modernization projects will allow U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to deploy the latest technology to identify high-risk activity and shipments, combat drug trafficking and increase operational security.
