[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 47 (Friday, March 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12229-12230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4880]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians of 
the Guidiville Rancheria's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Casino/Resort 
Project, City of Richmond, Contra Costa 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) as lead agency for compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act, and the City of Richmond (City), California, 
as lead agency for compliance with the California Environmental Quality 
Act, intend to gather information necessary for preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR) 
for a proposed 415 acre trust acquisition and casino/resort 
project to be located within the City of Richmond, Contra Costa County, 
California. The purpose of the proposed action is to restore the 
Guidiville land base of the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians of the 
Guidiville Rancheria (Tribe) and help provide for the economic 
development of the tribe. The proposed action would additionally serve 
to meet the City's requirements under the Base Realignment and Closure 
Act to use a closed Navy fuel depot for economic development purposes. 
This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify 
potential issues and alternatives for inclusion in the EIS/EIR.

DATES: Written comments on the scope and implementation of this 
proposal must arrive by April 15, 2005. The public scoping meeting will 
be held March 31, 2005, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., or until the last public 
comment is received.

[[Page 12230]]


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 held at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic 
Center Plaza, Richmond, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Rydzik, (916) 978-6042.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe proposes that 415 
acres of land be taken into trust to restore its terminated tribal land 
base for its people. The 415 acres encompass nine 
contiguous parcels in the City of Richmond, more commonly known as the 
former Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot. The project site is located 2 
miles northeast of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge tollbooth, after 
exiting at Western Avenue off of Highway 580 while heading west.
    The Tribe wishes to use the property for multiple tribal purposes, 
including economic development and the provision of governmental 
services. The City wishes to use the property for economic development 
purposes, promoting employment, enhancing City revenues and improving 
municipal services. More specifically, the Tribe and City contemplate 
that the site will be used for the development of gaming and related 
entertainment, retail and lodging facilities, tribal government 
facilities, police and fire services, public parks, open space, a ferry 
terminal, public transportation and possible housing. The eventual size 
and scope of these facilities may be altered based on information 
obtained through the EIS/EIR process, but the Tribe and City's current 
proposal is for approximately 150,000 square feet of gaming floor, 
300,000 square feet of retail facilities, 25,000 square feet of 
convention and entertainment facilities, an approximately 400 room 
hotel and a second phase 700 room hotel, 29 cottages remodeled into 
hotel suites or offices, a boutique spa/hotel, a fire station, tribal 
governmental offices, a tribal cultural center, 220+ acres of open 
space or submerged lands, 40 acres of public parks, a public trail, the 
ferry terminal and possible limited housing units. The proposed 
development would also include parking facilities for approximately 
3000 vehicles for patrons and employees.
    The proposed action encompasses the various federal approvals which 
would be required to implement the Tribe's efforts to establish a 
restored tribal land base, including approval of the Tribe's fee-to-
trust application, approval of the Tribe's gaming management contract 
and approval of the Tribe's request for a reservation proclamation 
pursuant to a court approved stipulation in Scotts Valley et al v. 
United States case of September 6, 1991 (NO. C-86-3660-VRW), and 
implementing the intent and findings of the U.S. Department of Navy 
EIS/EIR for the base closure of the Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot. The 
proposed action also includes all the actions and approvals by the City 
necessary to permit and facilitate the land transfer and development, 
including approval of a proposed municipal services agreement.
    Areas of environmental concern identified so far for analysis in 
the EIS/EIR include land resources, water resources, coastal zone 
planning consistency, air quality, living resources, cultural 
resources, Indian burial remains, socioeconomic conditions, traffic and 
transportation, land use, public utilities and services, noise, 
lighting, hazardous materials, environmental justice, soils 
remediation, visual resources/aesthetics, homeland security issues, Bay 
Trail construction, historical building restoration, and cumulative 
impacts. The range of issues and alternatives to be addressed in the 
EIS/EIR may be expanded based on comments received in response to this 
notice and at the public scoping meeting.

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: February 22, 2005.
Michael D. Olsen,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 05-4880 Filed 3-10-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P