[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55271-55272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21967]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Section 14 Specific Plan on the Agua Caliente Indian 
Reservation, Riverside 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) intends to file a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) for the proposed Section 14 Master Development Plan on the Agua 
Caliente Indian Reservation located within the boundaries of the City 
of Palm Springs, Riverside County, California, with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, and that the FEIS is available for 
final public review. Details on the proposed action, location and areas 
of environmental concern addressed in the FEIS are provided below in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

DATES: Written comments on the FEIS must arrive by September 28, 2002. 
The Record of Decision will be issued on or after September 30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Ronald 
Jaeger, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Regional 
Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1846. Please 
include your name, return address and the caption, ``FEIS Comments, 
Section 14 Master Plan, Riverside County, California,'' on the first 
page of your written comments.
    Copies of the FEIS have been sent to all agencies and individuals 
who participated in the scoping process or public hearings and to those 
who requested copies. To obtain a copy of the FEIS, please write or 
call William Allan, Environmental Protection Specialist, Pacific 
Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, 
California 95825-1846, telephone (916) 978-6043. Copies of the FEIS are 
also available in the Agua Caliente Tribal Administration Office, 650 
East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, California 92262.

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

[[Page 55272]]

Michael Atencio, (760) 325-3400, extension 207.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project is the approval of the 
Section 14 Master Development Plan, which facilitates approval of 
future leases on trust land in Section 14 by the BIA. Section 14 is 
located on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation in downtown Palm 
Springs. It is comprised of tribally owned parcels, allotted parcels 
and parcels owned in fee. The section is bounded by Alejo Road to the 
north, Sunrise Road to the east, Ramon Road to the south, and Indian 
Canyon Drive to the west. The 640-acre section is one block east of 
downtown Palm Springs and one mile west of Palm Springs Regional 
Airport.
    The intent of the Section 14 Master Development Plan is to:
     Create an attractive, feasible and marketable vision for 
the area's future development;
     Achieve the highest and best use of Indian trust lands;
     Maximize and coordinate the development potential of 
Indian trust and fee lands in Section 14;
     Ensure compatibility with existing, proposed and planned 
development in the downtown area;
     Achieve a comprehensive master plan of development that is 
high quality, marketable and able to be implemented in a timely manner;
     Revitalize existing uses; and
     Provide a specific plan that ensures quality development 
will occur independent of ownership.
    Businesses that are expected to be attracted and which will result 
in new construction include restaurants and various retail 
establishments. These establishments will consist of cinemas, live 
theaters, museums, and ``entertainment retail'' shopping where 
customers are entertained as they browse. There will also be health, 
sports and recreational complexes along with a large-scale hotel 
located across from the existing Convention Center.
    In addition to the new development, existing structures will 
receive facade rehabilitation in order to blend in with the new 
destination resort theme of Section 14. Streets will also be redesigned 
and enhanced within Section 14 to promote a pedestrian-friendly, 
destination resort environment.
    Alternative transportation modes will be established within the 
area to help limit the amount of automobile traffic. Walkways and 
bikeways will be linked into the existing street grid and the major 
attractions of the area. Shade features such as awnings, overhangs and 
trellises will be established to attract both recreational and 
destination oriented pedestrians and cyclists. A rubber-tire shuttle 
will be installed linking Section 14, the airport and downtown with 
stops at major hotels and attractions.
    Alternatives to the proposed project that are considered in the 
FEIS include (1) no action, which will keep the City of Palm Springs 
General Plan in effect, (2) reduced intensity development; and (3) 
increased intensity development. Environmental issues addressed in the 
FEIS include landform/topography, geology/soils/seismicity, hydrology/
water quality, biological resources, land use, cultural and scientific 
resources, air quality, traffic/circulation, noise, health and safety, 
public services and utilities, and visual resources.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section, during regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Individual respondents may 
request confidentiality. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or 
address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of 
Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent 
allowed by law. We will not, however, consider anonymous comments. All 
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

Authority

    This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 of the 
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR, part 1500 through 
1508) implementing the procedural requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 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.

    Dated: August 7, 2002.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-21967 Filed 8-27-02; 8:45 am]
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