[Federal Register: June 6, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 110)]
[Notices]
[Page 32354-32355]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jn08-105]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Renewed Application for the Proposed Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla
and Cupe[ntilde]o Indians Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino-Hotel
Project, San Bernardino County, California
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA) as lead agency, with the National Indian Gaming
Commission and Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupe[ntilde]o Indians
(Tribe) as cooperating agencies, intends to gather information
necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the
Tribe's renewed application for a proposed 45-acre fee-to-trust
transfer and casino and hotel project to be located in San Bernardino
County, California. The BIA did not approve the original application as
submitted, hence published a Notice of Cancellation of work on the EIS
on May 19, 2008, in the Federal Register (73 FR 28841).
[[Page 32355]]
DATES: Written comments on the scope and implementation of this
proposal must arrive by July 7, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Dale Morris,
Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. Please include your
name, return caption, address and ``DEIS Scoping Comments, Los Coyotes
Band of Cahuilla and Cupe[ntilde]o Indians 45-Acre Fee-to-Trust Casino/
Hotel Project, San Bernardino County, California'', on the first page
of your written comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Rydzik, (916) 978-6042.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would transfer
approximately 45 acres of land from fee to trust status, upon which the
Tribe would develop a casino, hotel, parking and other supporting
facilities. The property is located within the incorporated boundaries
of the City of Barstow, San Bernardino County, California, just east of
Interstate-15, near State Highways 58 and 247 and Interstate-40.
The BIA published a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the
original application on April 19, 2006, in the Federal Register (71 FR
20126). The notice included project details, which remain unchanged in
the renewed application. As this notice on the renewed application in
effect resumes work on the EIS, public scoping for the issues and
alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS has already been done. The BIA
will not, therefore, hold any additional public scoping meetings. This
notice, however, does provide the public another 30-day period to
submit comments on what should be covered in the EIS.
Areas of environmental concern identified for analysis in the EIS
include land resources, water resources, biological resources, cultural
resources, traffic and transportation, noise, air quality, public
health/environmental hazards, public services and utilities, hazardous
waste and materials, socio-economics, environmental justice and visual
resources/aesthetics. In addition to the proposed action, alternatives
identified for analysis include no-action, reduced-intensity
development and two alternate sites. The range of issues and
alternatives are open to expansion based on comments received in
response to this notice.
Public Comment Availability
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the BIA address shown in the ADDRESSES
section, during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except holidays. Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Authority: This notice is published in accordance with sections
1503.1 and 1506.6 of the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 1508) implementing the
procedural requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and the Department of the
Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6), and is in the exercise of authority
delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.1.
Dated: May 23, 2008.
Carl J. Artman,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8-12638 Filed 6-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P
