[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 74 (Monday, April 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19193-19194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-9672]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Scoping for Environmental Analysis of a Study 
Recommending a Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Homeland in and Around Death 
Valley National Park Inyo County, California and Esmeralda and Nye 
Counties, NV

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, in accordance with the provisions of 
the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.) that 
public scoping is being initiated for an environmental impact analysis 
process for a Draft Secretarial Report to Congress regarding a proposal 
to establish a permanent Timbisha Shoshone Tribal land base in and 
around Death Valley National Park. The purpose of this scoping effort 
is to identify public issues and concerns, and to assess the nature and 
extent of potential environmental impacts which should be addressed.

Background

    During 1994 Congress enacted the California Desert Protection Act 
(Pub. L. 103-433), which in part addressed the need of the Timbisha 
Shoshone Tribe for a recognized land base. The Secretary of the 
Interior was directed (in Section 705(b) of the act) to conduct a study 
to identify lands suitable for a reservation for the Timbisha Shoshone 
Tribe.
    As a direct result, a joint Federal-Tribal negotiating team was 
convened for the purposes of drafting a suitability study. In drafting 
their proposal, the factors scrutinized to date include: basic tribal 
needs for a land base (for housing, tribal administration, economic 
development, and cultural restoration); mandates prescribing federal 
land stewardship; complementary interests of the Timbisha Shoshone 
Tribe and the Federal government; geographical constraints; climate and 
availability of water; mining claims; special resource limitations such 
as Congressionally designated Wilderness and also Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern; and availability of infrastructure such as 
roads, power, and other services. With due diligence the efforts of 
this government-to-government team have culminated in a comprehensive 
integrated draft proposal to establish a permanent Homeland for the 
Timbisha Shoshone Tribe.

Comment and Approval

    As noted, the Department of the Interior including the National 
Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and 
Bureau of Reclamation have undertaken government-to-government 
negotiations with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe to address suitable 
strategies and actions for establishing a permanent Timbisha Shoshone 
Tribal land base in and around Death Valley National Park. At this 
time, it has not been determined whether an Environmental Assessment or 
Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared; however, this scoping 
process will aid in the preparation of either document.
    As part of this effort, a series of public scoping meetings will be 
held during May, 1999. California and Nevada cities

[[Page 19194]]

where this scoping activity will be conducted are listed below--all 
meetings are scheduled for 7:00-9:00pm. For confirmed details about 
meeting locations please contact: Superintendent, Death Valley National 
Park, P.O. Box 579, Death Valley, California, 92328 (telephone (760) 
786-3243).
     May 24 in Pasadena, California;
     May 25 in Ridegecrest, California;
     May 26 in Lone Pine, California;
     May 27 in Goldfield, Nevada;
     May 28 in Pahrump, Nevada.
    During the scoping period a study document--The Timbisha Shoshone 
Tribal Homeland: A Draft Secretarial Report to Congress to Establish a 
Permanent Tribal Land Base and Related Cooperative Activities--is 
available through Death Valley National Park. Topics addressed in the 
study document and anticipated to be discussed during these meetings 
include: background information on the government-to-government 
negotiation process; an historical perspective on the need for a 
permanent Timbisha Shoshone Tribal land base; identification of 
criteria used in the study process; the identification of legislative 
and administrative actions which would be necessary in order to 
implement the strategies identified to date; and the types and 
significance of the potential environmental effects, including 
potential cumulative impacts to wild burros and horses, wildlife, 
cultural and other natural resource use issues.
    Interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are encouraged 
to provide comments or suggestions. Written comments regarding the 
Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Homeland proposal must be postmarked no later 
than June 15, 1999, and should be addressed to the Superintendent, 
Death Valley National Park (address as noted above). To obtain a copy 
of the study document or request other background information please 
contact the Superintendent, Death Valley National Park; the document 
and current information also are available via the park website 
(www.nps.gov/deva).
    The U.S. Department of the Interior officials responsible for 
approval are: the Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; 
the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management; and the 
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. If approved, the plan would 
subsequently be submitted by the Secretary of the Interior to Congress 
for consideration. If enacted, the National Park Service officials 
responsible for implementation would be the Superintendent, Death 
Valley National Park and the Regional Director, Pacific West Region; as 
well as the State Directors, Bureau of Land Management, California and 
Nevada; the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; and the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Central California Agency. The draft environmental 
document is expected to be available for public review in late summer 
or fall, 1999. At this time it is anticipated that the final plan and 
environmental document are to be completed in spring, 2000.

    Dated: April 9, 1999.
John J. Reynolds,
Regional Director, Pacific West.
[FR Doc. 99-9672 Filed 4-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P