[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 216 (Friday, November 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63127-63128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28118]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Ione Band of Miwok Indians' Trust Acquisition and Casino 
Project, Amador 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 Ione Band of Miwok Indians 
and the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), intends to gather 
information necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for a proposed casino project to be located within the City of 
Plymouth in Amador County, California. The purpose of the proposed 
project is to help provide for the economic development of the Ione 
Band. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify 
potential issues and content for inclusion in the EIS.

DATES: Comments on the scope and implementation of this proposal must 
arrive by December 8, 2003. The public scoping meeting will be held on 
Wednesday, November 19, 2003, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. or until the last 
comment is received.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Mr. Clay 
Gregory, Acting Regional Director, Pacific Region, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. The public 
scoping meeting will be held at the Amador County Fairgrounds, 18621 
Sherwood and School Streets, Plymouth, California.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ione Band of Miwok Indians proposes that 
208.06+/- acres of land be taken into trust and that a casino, parking, 
hotel and other facilities supporting the casino be

[[Page 63128]]

constructed on the trust acquisition property. The gaming facility 
would be managed by IKON Group, LLC on behalf of the tribal government, 
pursuant to the terms of a management agreement between the tribal 
government and IKON Group, LLC. 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.
    The project site is located immediately east of Highway 49, and is 
within 2\1/2\ miles of State Highway 16. The City of Placerville is 
located approximately 20 miles north of the project site, which is also 
accessible from State Highway 49. The project site consists of 10 
parcels of land totaling 208.06+/- acres. Eight of the 10 parcels 
(10.28+/- acres) are located within the City of Plymouth, while the 
remaining 2 parcels (197.78+/- acres) are located on unincorporated 
land within Amador County.
    Phase I of the Proposed Action includes the development of a 
120,000+/- square foot casino complex, which would consist of a porte 
cochere, main gaming hall, food and beverage services, retail space, 
and administration space. Approximately 65,000 square feet of this 
building space would be devoted to the main gaming hall, while the 
balance of the facility would include administration space, small 
retail shops and food/beverage facilities and a small gift and art 
shop. The entire complex would be built on land currently within the 
City of Plymouth. Primary access to the casino complex would be via 
State Highway 49.
    Phase II of the Proposed Action includes the construction of a 
hotel (250 rooms maximum), which will include small conference style 
facilities together with food and beverage services. The proposed hotel 
would also be fitted with a dual plumbing system for the use of potable 
and recycled water. In addition, site parking would be increased to 
supply adequate parking for hotel and conference patrons. The hotel is 
anticipated to be operational no sooner than the middle of year 3-4 of 
the project. Primary vehicle access to the hotel would be provided by 
the main casino and surface-parking driveway.
    Areas of environmental concern to be addressed in the EIS include 
land use, geology and soils, water resources, agricultural resources, 
biological resources, cultural resources, mineral resources, 
paleontological resources, traffic and transportation, noise, air 
quality, public health/environmental hazards, public services and 
utilities, hazardous materials and waste/worker safety, socio-
economics, environmental justice, and visual resources/aesthetics. The 
range of issues addressed may be expanded based on comments received 
during the scoping process.

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, 8 a.m. to 4:30 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 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.

    Dated: October 9, 2003.
Aurene M. Martin,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-28118 Filed 11-6-03; 8:45 am]
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