[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 27, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 62721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23998]



[[Page 62721]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the North Fork Rancheria's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Hotel/Casino 
Project, Madera 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 gather information necessary for preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed 305 
acre trust acquisition and casino development project to be located 
within unincorporated Madera County, California. The purpose of the 
proposed action is to help provide for the economic development of the 
North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians (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 November 26, 2004. The public scoping meeting 
will be held November 15, 2004, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., or until the 
last public comment is received.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Clay Gregory, 
Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. The public scoping 
meeting will be at the Hatfield Hall, Madera District Fairgrounds, 1850 
West Cleveland Avenue, Madera, California.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe proposes that 305 
acres of land be taken into trust and that a casino, parking, hotel, 
and other facilities supporting the casino be constructed on the trust 
acquisition property. The 305 acres, which are made up of 7 
parcels of land, are located within unincorporated Madera County, 
California, just north of the City of Madera and adjacent to State 
Route 99 (SR-99). The site is bounded on the north by Avenue 18, rural 
residential land, light industrial land, and vacant land; on the east 
by Golden State Boulevard and SR-99; on the south by agricultural land 
and residential land; and on the west by Road 23 and agricultural land.
    The proposed action is to develop an approximately 472,000 square 
foot hotel and casino resort and associated facilities, which would 
include a main gaming hall, food and beverage services, retail space, 
banquet/meeting space, administration space, and a hotel. Food and 
beverage facilities would include three full service restaurants, a 
five-tenant food court, a buffet, four bars and a lounge. The hotel 
would include 200 rooms, a resort-style pool area and a spa. 
Approximately 4,500 parking spaces would be provided. Regional access 
to the project site is via SR-99. Road 23, Avenue 18, and Golden State 
Boulevard would provide direct access to the hotel/casino resort.
    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 BIA address shown in the ADDRESSES 
section, during 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 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 of 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. 4371 et seq.), 
Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6), and is in the exercise 
of authority delegated to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--
Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.l.

    Dated: September 29, 2004.
Michael D. Olsen,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 04-23998 Filed 10-26-04; 8:45 am]
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