[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 85 (Monday, May 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24182-24183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10007]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin and the Bad River Band of 
the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians' Proposed 26 Acre Fee-to-
Trust Transfer and Casino Project in the City of Beloit, Rock County, 
Wisconsin

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA) as lead agency, with the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin and the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians (the Tribes) as cooperating agencies, intends to gather the 
information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for a proposed 26 acre fee-to-trust land transfer and casino 
project in Rock County, Wisconsin. The purpose of the proposed action 
is to help meet the economic development needs of the Tribes.

DATES: Written comments on the scope and implementation of this 
proposal must arrive by June 3, 2004. We estimate that the EIS will be 
ready for a Record of Decision by February 2005. This estimate includes 
public comment periods of 30 days for this notice, 60 days for the 
Draft EIS and 30 days for the Final EIS, plus time for notice issuance, 
a public hearing, response to comments, document revision and legal 
review.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Terrance L. Virden, 
Director, Midwest Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bishop Henry 
Whipple Federal Building, One Federal Drive, Room 550, Ft. Snelling, 
Minnesota 55111.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Herb Nelson, (612) 713-4400 extension 
1143.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BIA proposes to take 26 acres of land 
into trust on behalf of the Tribes, on which the Tribes propose to 
build a resort and casino complex. The property is located along the 
west side of Interstate 90 (I-90) in the City of Beloit, Rock County, 
Wisconsin. The project design contemplates a 100,000 square foot casino 
and support area, a 35,000 square foot conference/convention center, 
several restaurants, a 7,000 square foot child care facility and a gift 
shop, to be located on the 26 acres to be taken into trust. A 500 unit 
hotel, a 2,000 seat theater, a 68,000 square foot water park, and 
parking facilities would be located on an adjacent, fee parcel. An 
Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared for this project under the 
direction of the BIA and the Tribes by Environmental Resource Group. 
The BIA independently evaluated, revised and approved the EA's scope 
and contents. The BIA released the EA to the public for comment on 
September 17, 2003. Upon consideration of the EA and the comments 
received on it during the comment period, the BIA concluded that the 
potential environmental impact of the proposed action was significant 
enough to warrant an EIS. The BIA proposes to use the EA and the 
comments received on it as a substantial part of the scoping process 
for the EIS.
    Issues identified to date to be addressed in the EIS include the 
following:
     Traffic (how the traffic generated by the casino 
development may effect the existing transportation system);
     Air quality (possible additive impacts of 
project-induced traffic on air quality);
     Socio-economics (how the project may affect 
employment and income, housing, schools, and infrastructure);
     Cumulative effects (environmental impacts of the 
project together with those of other reasonably foreseeable development 
projects in the area); and
     Alternatives to the preferred alternative.
    The range of issues and alternatives addressed in the EIS may be 
expanded based on comments received in response to this notice.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be

[[Page 24183]]

available for public review at the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section, during regular business hours, 8:00 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: April 15, 2004.
Woodrow W. Hopper, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs (Management).
[FR Doc. 04-10007 Filed 4-30-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P