[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 7, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18402-18403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7935]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Timbisha Shoshone Tribe's Trust Acquisition and Casino 
Project, San Bernardino County, California

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 Timbisha Shoshone Tribe 
(Tribe), intends to gather information necessary for preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed 58+ acre trust 
acquisition and casino development project to be located in the City of 
Hesperia, San Bernardino County, California. The purpose of the 
proposed action is to help provide for the economic development of the 
Tribe. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify 
potential issues and content for inclusion in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope and implementation of this 
proposal must arrive by May 5, 2004. The public scoping meeting will be 
held April 21, 2004, from 6 to 9 p.m., or until the last public comment 
has been submitted.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Clay Gregory, 
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. The public 
scoping meeting will be held at the Percy Bakker Senior Center, 9393 E 
Avenue, Hesperia, California.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe proposes that a 58+ acre parcel of 
land be taken into trust and that a casino, parking, hotel, and other 
facilities supporting the casino be built on the property. The project 
site is located west of Interstate 15, south of Main Street, and 
immediately east of Mesa Linda Street inside the incorporated City of 
Hesperia, San Bernardino County. It is within 3 miles of Main Street 
and Interstate 15. The City of Victorville is located approximately 8 
miles north of the project site, which is also accessible from 
Interstate 15.
    Phase I of the proposed action includes the development of a 
182,000+ square foot casino complex, which would consist of a porte 
cochere, an approximately 61,000 square foot main gaming hall, food and 
beverage facilities, small retail shops, and administrative space. 
Approximately 3,406 parking spaces would be provided for the complex. 
Primary access to the complex would be via Interstate 15.
    Phase II of the proposed action includes the construction of an 
approximately 300-room hotel with a dual plumbing system for the use of 
potable and recycled water. Approximately 180 parking spaces would be 
dedicated for the hotel. 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 via 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 waste and materials, 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

[[Page 18403]]

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: March 26, 2004.
Dave Anderson,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 04-7935 Filed 4-6-04; 8:45 am]
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