[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 49 (Monday, March 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13305-13306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6112]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Study Recommending a Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Homeland In and 
Around Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California and 
Esmeralda and Nye Counties, Nevada; Notice of Intent To Prepare a 
Legislative Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and the California Desert Protection Act (P.L. 
103-433, Title VII, Sec. 705), the National Park Service has initiated 
an environmental impact analysis process for a Secretarial Report to 
Congress regarding a proposal to establish a permanent Timbisha 
Shoshone Tribal Homeland in and around Death Valley National Park. 
Furthermore, regulations created by the Council on Environmental 
Quality (40 CFR 1508) provide that any ``proposal for legislation'' 
must be accompanied by an environmental impact statement. (42 U.S.C.A. 
section 4332(2)c.). A Legislative Environmental Impact Statement (LEIS) 
is an abbreviated version of an Environmental Impact Statement which 
may be prepared on an expedited timetable to ensure proper 
consideration in Congressional hearings and deliberations.

Background

    The U.S. Department of the Interior (Department) is considering the 
transfer of federal lands and acquisition of private lands to be held 
in trust for the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe. The transfers and 
acquisitions are for the purposes of creating a tribal homeland in and 
around Death Valley National Park.
    The initial Notice of Scoping was published in the Federal Register 
on April 19, 1999 (V64, N74, PP19193-19194) announcing public meetings 
and other scoping activities so as to initiate an environmental impact 
analysis process for the Draft Secretarial Report to Congress. The 
Secretary of the Interior's draft report, The Timbisha Shoshone Tribal 
Homeland-A Draft Secretarial Report to Congress to Establish a 
Permanent Tribal Land Base and Related Cooperative Activities was 
released for public comment in May 1999.
    Over 500 comments were received through July 1999, and the 
responses addressed a spectrum of regulatory, socio-economic and 
environmental issues. On September 20, 1999 the Final Scoping Summary 
Document was released to the public characterizing the nature of public 
response and comment letters received on the Draft Secretarial Report.
    In October 1999, the Department determined that the National Park 
Service would serve as the lead agency. The Bureau of Land Management, 
Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, and Nye County, Nevada have been cooperators to this 
project.

Alternatives

    In addition to a no-action alternative, the proposed action is 
primarily to recommend that Congress authorize the transfer of several 
parcels of lands as identified in the Draft Secretarial Report 
currently managed by NPS and BLM in California and Nevada. 
Authorization for the Department to expend appropriated funds for the 
purchase of several parcels of private land from willing sellers in 
California and Nevada is also being proposed. All transacted lands 
would be taken into trust for the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe by the 
Secretary of the Interior.

For Current Information

    Written communications may be addressed to the Superintendent, 
Death Valley National Park, Post Office Box 579, Death Valley, 
California 92328. For current information about the ongoing LEIS 
effort, please contact: Joan DeGraff, Project Manager, (760) 255-8830, 
or utilize the park website (www.nps.gov/deva).

Approval Process

    The Department officials responsible for approval are: the 
Assistant Secretary Fish, Wildlife and Parks; the Assistant Secretary 
for Land and Minerals Management; and the Assistant Secretary for 
Indian Affairs. If approved, the proposal 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, Nevada and 
California; the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; and the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs, Central California Agency. The draft LEIS is 
expected to be available for public review in spring, 2000. At this 
time it is anticipated that the final LEIS will be completed in summer, 
2000.


[[Page 13306]]


    Dated: March 6, 2000.
John J. Reynolds,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 00-6112 Filed 3-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P