[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 15582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7948]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Jamul Indian Village 101 Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and 
Casino Project, San Diego County, CA

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), with the cooperation of the Jamul Indian Village and the 
National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), intends to gather information 
necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
proposed 101 acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino Project in San Diego 
County, California. The purpose of the proposed action is to help meet 
the land base and economic needs of the Jamul Indian Village.

DATES: Comments on the scope and implementation of this proposal must 
arrive by April 22, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry written comments to Ronald M. Jaeger, 
Regional Director, Pacific Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2800 
Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1846.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Allan, (916) 978-6043.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Jamul Indian Village is located in 
eastern San Diego County, approximately one mile south of the community 
of Jamul. The project area is bordered on the north by Melody Lane, on 
the west by vacant and residentially developed land, on the south by 
vacant land and on the east by State Route 94. State Route 94 provides 
direct access to downtown San Diego, approximately 20 miles to the 
west, where it intersects with Interstate 5.
    The Jamul Indian Village proposes that 101 acres of land be taken 
into trust, that a casino be constructed on existing trust land, and 
that parking and other facilities supporting the casino be constructed 
on the 101 acre trust acquisition. The gaming facility will be managed 
by Lakes Kean Argovitz Resorts-California, LLC (LKAR-CA), on behalf of 
the tribal government, pursuant to the terms of the management 
agreement between the tribal government and LKAR-CA. The BIA will serve 
as the Lead Agency for National Environmental Policy Act compliance. 
The NIGC, which is responsible for approval of the gaming management 
contract, will be a Cooperating Agency.
    The BIA released an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the proposed 
action for public comment on February 1, 2001. The EA was revised in 
response to public comment and released as a final EA, with a Finding 
of No Significant Impact (FONSI), on November 16, 2001. The FONSI was 
based on, among other factors, mitigation of potentially significant 
impacts to traffic on highway 94. After three parties appealed the 
FONSI, the BIA determined the mitigation proposed for traffic to be too 
provisional, hence an EIS would be required.
    The BIA and NIGC propose to use the extensive public comments 
received during the public review of the EA as scoping comments for the 
EIS. Areas of environmental concern identified include, in addition to 
traffic, threatened and endangered species, wildlife habitat and 
conservation areas, wastewater disposal, air quality, and socio-
economic impacts. The range of issues to be addressed may be further 
expanded based on comments received during the scoping process.

Authority

    This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 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: March 14, 2002.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-7948 Filed 4-1-02; 8:45 am]
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