[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 29 (Monday, February 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 7568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1938]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Fee-to-Trust Conveyance of Property for the Cayuga Indian 
Nation of New York, Cayuga and Seneca Counties, New York

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, with the cooperation of the Cayuga 
Indian Nation (Nation), intends to gather the information necessary for 
preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the conveyance 
into trust of 125 acres of land currently held in fee by 
the Nation. The purpose of the proposed action is to create a tribal 
land base and to help meet the Nation's socio-economic needs. This 
notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify potential 
issues, alternatives and content for inclusion in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS or implementation of 
the proposal must arrive by March 15, 2006.
    The public scoping meeting will be held March 1, 2006, from 6:30 to 
9:30 p.m., or until the last public comment is received.

ADDRESSES: You may mail, hand carry or telefax written comments to 
Franklin Keel, Regional Director, Eastern Regional Office, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, 545 Marriott Drive, Suite 700, Nashville, Tennessee 
37214, Telefax (615) 564-6701. Please include your name, return address 
and the caption, ``DEIS Scoping Comments, Cayuga Indian Nation of New 
York Trust Acquisition Project,'' on the first page of your written 
comments.
    The public scoping meeting will be held at the New York 
Chiropractic College, 2360 State Route 89, Seneca Falls, NY 13148.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurt G. Chandler, (615) 564-6832.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action is BIA approval of the 
conveyance of 125 acres currently held in fee by the Nation 
into trust status for the benefit of the Nation. The property is in 
seven (7) separate parcels located in the Village of Union Springs and 
the Towns of Springport and Montezuma in Cayuga County, and in the Town 
of Seneca Falls in Seneca County, New York. The Nation wishes to use 
this property as a land base and for commercial purposes, including the 
operation of existing convenience store, gas station and Class II 
gaming facilities. No new development is currently planned for the 
subject properties.
    Areas so far identified for analysis in the EIS include land and 
water resources, traffic, air quality, cultural and archaeological 
resources, socio-economic conditions and public services. Alternatives 
to be analyzed include the proposed action, no action and any other 
reasonable alternatives that may be identified through the scoping 
process. The range of issues to be addressed in the EIS may also 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 all of the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section (except those for the public meetings) during regular 
business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (unless otherwise shown), 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 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.

    Dated: February 3, 2006.
Michael D. Olsen,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-1938 Filed 2-10-06; 8:45 am]
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