[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 188 (Thursday, September 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56933-56934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19429]


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NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION


Supplemental Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria 
Casino and Hotel Project, Sonoma, CA

AGENCY: National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC).

ACTION: Supplemental Notice of Intent (SNOI).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the NIGC, in 
cooperation with the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria (the 
``Graton Rancheria''), intends to gather information necessary for 
preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed casino 
and hotel project to be located in Sonoma, California. This notice 
supplements the Notice of Intent (NOI) which appeared in the Federal 
Register on February 12, 2004 (69 FR 7022 (Feb. 12, 2004)) and advises 
the public that the NIGC and BIA intends to gather further information 
necessary to prepare an EIS for a proposed casino and hotel project to 
be located in Sonoma County, California. The purpose of the proposed 
action is to help address the socio-economic needs of the Federated 
Indians of Graton Rancheria. The proposed action is very similar to 
that proposed in the February 12, 2004, NOI, with the exception that 
the casino and hotel would be constructed adjacent to and on the east 
side of the previously proposed site. The shift of the proposed 
construction site is being considered to avoid environmental 
constraints discovered on the original site, particularly, to avoid 
wetlands identified on the original site. Additional details of the new 
proposed action and location are provided below in the Supplemental 
Information section. The supplemental scoping process will include 
notification of and opportunity for the general public and Federal, 
state, local, and tribal agencies to comment on the new proposed 
action. The purpose of scoping is to identify public and agency 
concerns on environmental issues, and alternatives to be considered in 
the EIS. All the information and comments gathered in response to the 
earlier NOI remain in the record, and there is no need to repeat 
information submitted at that time.

DATES: A public scoping meeting will be held on October 19, 2005 from 6 
p.m. to 8:30 p.m., or until the last public comment is received. 
Written comments on the scope of the EIS should arrive by November 4, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be addressed 
to: Brad Mehaffy, NEPA Compliance Officer, National Indian Gaming 
Commission, 1441 L Street, NW., Suite 9100, Washington DC 20005.
    Please include your name, return address, and caption: ``EIS 
Scoping Comments, Graton Rancheria Casino and Hotel Project'', on the 
first page of your written comments. The agency scoping meeting will be 
hosted by the NIGC and the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria. 
The public scoping meeting will also be hosted by the NIGC and the 
Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria. The public scoping meeting 
will be held at the Spreckels Performing

[[Page 56934]]

Arts Center, Nellie W. Codding Theatre, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, 
CA 94928.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the NEPA 
review procedures or status of the NEPA review, contact Brad Mehaffy, 
NIGC NEPA Compliance Officer, 202-632-7003.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed federal action is the NIGC's 
approval of a gaming management contract between the Federated Indians 
of Graton Rancheria and SC Sonoma Management LLC. The approval of the 
gaming management contract would result in the development of a resort 
hotel, casino, and supporting facilities. The facility will be managed 
by SC Sonoma Management LLC on behalf of the Federated Indians of 
Graton Rancheria, pursuant to the terms of a gaming management 
contract.
    A NOI was originally published on February 12, 2004 for an EIS to 
analyze the approval of a management contract between the Federated 
Indians of Graton Rancheria and SC Sonoma Management LLC. Preparation 
of the EIS commenced after a 46-day scoping period, during which 768 
public comments were received both in writing and orally at a scoping 
meeting held on March 10, 2004. As displayed in a handout at the March 
2004 scoping meeting, development of a casino and hotel resort was 
proposed on a 363 acre site bordered by Wilfred Avenue to the north; 
Stony Point Road to the west; Rohnert Park Expressway, farmland, and 
the Laguna de Santa Rosa to the south; and a mobile home park, a 
business park, and farmland to the east.
    During preparation of the EIS, numerous environmental constraints 
to development of this location were discovered, including wetlands, 
endangered species, and the 100-year floodplain. Therefore, in an 
effort to minimize environmental effects, a new project site is 
proposed which includes approximately 180 acres within the southern 
portion of the original 360-acre site along with an approximately 73-
acre property located adjacent to the eastern boundary of the 
previously proposed site. The new property is bounded to the north by 
Wilfred Avenue and rural residential parcels, to the east by farmland, 
to the west by Langner Avenue, and to the south by Business Park Drive 
and light industrial development. The previously proposed sites will 
remain as alternatives in the EIS. The proposed action consists of 
approval of a gaming management contract between the Federated Indians 
of Graton Rancheria and SC Sonoma Management LLC. Approval of this 
contract would result in development of a casino and hotel resort on 
the new 253-acre site, assuming this alternative is selected at the 
conclusion of the EIS process.
    Nearby land uses include agricultural uses such as livestock 
grazing and dairy operations, rural residential uses, industrial and 
commercial development, and open space. In addition to the proposed 
action, a reasonable range of alternatives, including a no action 
alternative, will be analyzed in the EIS. These alternatives are 
expected to include, but are not limited to: (1) A casino and hotel in 
the northwest corner of the original site, (2) a casino and hotel in 
the northeast corner of the original site, (3) a reduced intensity 
alternative, (4) an alternative use, (5) an additional off-site 
location, and (6) no action. 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, 
socioeconomics, environmental justice, and visual resources/aesthetics. 
The list of issues and alternatives may be expanded based on comments 
received during the scoping process.
    The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is a Federally recognized 
Indian tribe with approximately 1082 members. It is governed by a 
tribal council, consisting of seven members, under a constitution that 
was passed by vote of the members on December 14, 2002 and approved by 
the Secretary of the Interior on December 23, 2002. The Federated 
Indians of Graton Rancheria presently has no land in trust with the 
U.S. Government and is eligible to acquire land for reservation 
purposes to be placed in trust.
    The NIGC will serve as lead agency for compliance with NEPA. The 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Sonoma 
County will serve as Cooperating Agencies.
    Public Comment and Solicitation: Written comments pertaining to the 
proposed action will be accepted throughout the EIS planning process. 
However, to ensure proper consideration in preparation of the draft 
EIS, scoping comments should be received by November 4, 2005. The draft 
EIS is planned for publication and distribution in early 2006.
    Individual commenters 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. Anonymous comments will 
not, however, be considered. 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 Sections 
1501.7, 1506.6, and 1508.22 of the Council of Environmental Quality 
Regulations 40 CFR, Parts 1500 through 1508 implementing the 
procedural requirements of the NEPA of 1969, as amended 42 U.S.C. 
4371 et seq., and the BIA NEPA Handbook.

    Dated: September 21, 2005.
Philip N. Hogen,
Chairman.
[FR Doc. 05-19429 Filed 9-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7565-01-P