[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 7 (Friday, January 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 1475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-517]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 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), in cooperation with the Jamul Indian Village and the 
National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), intends to file a draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency for the proposed approval of a 101-acre fee-to-trust 
transfer, a gaming management contract and the construction of 
associated casino and support facilities. Details on the proposed 
action, location and areas of environmental concern addressed in the 
DEIS are provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. This notice 
also announces a public hearing to receive comments on the DEIS.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS must arrive by March 2, 2003. The 
public hearing will be held on February 6, 2003, from 6 p.m. to 10 
p.m., or until the last public comment is received.

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, ``DEIS Comments, 
Jamul Indian Village 101 Acre Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, San 
Diego County, California,'' on the first page of your written comments.
    The public hearing will be at the El Cajon Community Center, 195 
East Douglas, El Cajon, California 92020. This meeting will be co-
hosted by the BIA and Jamul Indian Village.
    To obtain a copy of the DEIS, 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 DEIS are also available for review at the 
Jamul Indian Village Tribal Administration Office, 14191 Highway 94, 
Jamul, California 91935, and at the following two public libraries: San 
Diego County Library--El Cajon Branch, 201 East Douglas Avenue, El 
Cajon, California 92020; and San Diego County Library--Fletcher Hills 
Branch, 576 Garfield Avenue, El Cajon, California 92020.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Jamul Indian Village is located in 
eastern San Diego County, California, approximately one mile south of 
the community of Jamul. The project area is bordered by Melody Road to 
the north, vacant and residentially developed land to the west, vacant 
land to the south and State Route 94 to the east. 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 and that a casino, parking, hotel and other facilities 
supporting the casino be constructed on the existing Jamul Indian 
Village site and 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 
serves as the Lead Agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
compliance, with the NIGC, which is responsible for approval of the 
gaming management contract, acting as a Cooperating Agency.
    Alternatives to the proposed project that are considered in the 
DEIS include: (1) Trust acquisition and casino and hotel construction 
(the proposed action); (2) trust acquisition, casino and retail 
development; (3) trust acquisition and retail development; (4) trust 
acquisition, hotel/casino north of Melody Road; and (5) no action.
    Environmental issues addressed in the DEIS include land and water 
resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, 
socioeconomic conditions, resource use patterns, public services, 
environmental justice, growth inducing effects, and cumulative impacts.

Public Comment Solicitation

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the BIA 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 the 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 
through1508) 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: January 2, 2003.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-517 Filed 1-9-03; 8:45 am]
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