[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 125 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37093-37094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5817]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Nottawaseppi Huron 
Band of Potawatomi Indians' Proposed 79 Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and 
Casino Project in Emmett Township, Calhoun County, MI

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 file a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the proposed 
79 acre fee-to-trust land transfer and casino project in Emmett 
Township, Calhoun County, Michigan, and that the FEIS is now available 
to the public. The purpose of the proposed action is to help provide 
for the economic development of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of 
Potawatomi Indians (Tribe).

DATES: The Record of Decision on the proposed action will be issued on 
or after July 31, 2006. Any comments on the FEIS must arrive by July 
31, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments 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. Please include your name, return address and 
the caption, ``FEIS Comments, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi 
Indians' Proposed 79 Acre Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project,

[[Page 37094]]

Emmett Township, Calhoun County, Michigan,'' on the first page of your 
written comments.
    Copies of the FEIS will be available for review at: (1) Willard 
Library, 7 West Van Buren, Battle Creek, Michigan 49017, Telephone 
(269) 968-8166; (2) Helen Warner Branch Library, 36 Minges Creek Place, 
Battle Creek, Michigan 49015, Telephone (269) 968-8166, extension 600; 
and (3) Marshall District Library, 124 West Green Street, Marshall, 
Michigan 49068, Telephone (269) 781-7821.
    If you would like to obtain a copy of the FEIS, please write or 
call Herb Nelson, Regional Environmental Scientist, Midwest Region, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, One 
Federal Drive, Room 550, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111, telephone (612) 
725-4510, fax (612) 713-4401. The FEIS is also available on line at 
http://www.HuronFEIS.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Herb Nelson, (612) 725-4510.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe has asked the BIA to take 79 acres 
of land into trust on behalf of the Tribe, on which the Tribe proposes 
to build a casino. The property is located along the south side of 
Interstate 94 (I-94) in Emmett Township, Calhoun County, Michigan, at 
the Eleven Mile Road exit. The gaming facility would be managed by 
Gaming Enterprises Michigan (GEM) on behalf of the Tribe, pursuant to 
the terms of the gaming management agreement between the Tribe and GEM. 
The NIGC is responsible for the review and approval of the gaming 
management contract.
    The project design includes an approximately 136,000 square foot 
casino, designed to accommodate 2000 slot machines and 50 gaming 
tables. The site is also proposed to include parking for approximately 
3600 cars for patrons and gaming facility employees, plus 20 visitor 
spaces for busses and other over-sized vehicles. The parking area would 
cover approximately 32 acres.
    Alternatives to the proposed project that are considered and 
evaluated in detail in the FEIS are as follows: (1) Trust acquisition 
and casino construction and operation (the proposed action); (2) trust 
acquisition and construction and operation of a casino smaller than the 
casino described in the proposed action; (3) trust acquisition and 
construction and operation of a casino with reduced hours of operation; 
(4) trust acquisition and construction and operation of a casino at an 
alternate location from that in the proposed action; and (5) no action. 
Alternatives considered and properly eliminated from detailed study in 
the FEIS include non-casino alternatives and the construction and 
operation of a larger casino than that described in the proposed 
action.
    Environmental issues addressed in the FEIS include land and water 
resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, 
socioeconomic conditions, resource use patterns, traffic and 
transportation networks, sound and noise, hazardous materials, public 
health and safety, public services, environmental justice, aesthetic 
resources and lighting, indirect and induced growth impacts, cumulative 
impacts and mitigation.
    The BIA held a public scoping meeting July 28, 2004, in Battle 
Creek, Michigan, to identify issues and alternatives to be considered 
in the EIS. The BIA held a public hearing on the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement August 24, 2005, in Battle Creek, Michigan.

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 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 Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.

    Dated: March 6, 2006.
Michael D. Olsen,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 06-5817 Filed 6-28-06; 8:45 am]
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