[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 194 (Friday, October 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59127-59128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16551]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Elk Valley 
Rancheria's Proposed 203.5 Acre Martin Ranch Fee-to-Trust Transfer and 
Casino/Resort Project, Del Norte 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), in cooperation with the Elk Valley Rancheria (tribe), 
City of Crescent City, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), intends to file a final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) with the EPA for the proposed 
approval of a 203.5-acre fee-to-trust transfer and casino/resort 
complex in Del Norte County, California, 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 tribe.

DATES: The Record of Decision on the proposed action will be issued on 
or after November 7, 2006. Any comments on the FEIS must arrive by 
November 6, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Clay Gregory, 
Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Region, 2800 
Cottage Way, Room W-2820, Sacramento, California 95825. Please include 
your name, return address and the caption, ``FEIS Comments, Elk Valley 
Rancheria, Martin Ranch, Fee to Trust Casino/Resort Project,'' on the 
first page of your written comments.
    The FEIS will be available for review at the Del Norte County 
Library, located at 190 Price Mall, Crescent City, California 95531. 
General information for the Del Norte County Library District can be 
obtained by calling (707) 464-9793.
    If you would like to obtain a copy of the FEIS, please provide your 
name and address in writing or by voicemail to John Rydzik, Chief of 
the Division of Environmental, Cultural Resource Management and Safety, 
at the BIA address above or at the telephone number provided below.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The tribe has asked the BIA to take 203.5 
acres of land into trust on behalf of the tribe, on which the tribe 
proposes to develop a casino, hotel, conference center and parking 
facility. The project site, known locally as the Martin Ranch, is 
located one mile southeast of the City of Crescent City, California, 
adjacent to Highway 101 and Humboldt Road. The site is currently 
undeveloped, with the exception of a single-family residence, 
associated outbuildings, and barn. Regional access to the project site 
would be via Highway 101. Humboldt Road would provide primary local 
access to the casino.
    Project alternatives considered in the FEIS include: (1) The 
preferred casino, hotel, conference center, and parking

[[Page 59128]]

facility alternative; (2) a golf course, hotel, conference center, and 
parking facility (non-gaming) alternative; (3) a casino, hotel, 
conference center, golf course, and parking facility alternative; (4) 
the Enderts Beach casino alternative; and (5) the no action 
alternative.
    Environmental issues addressed in the FEIS include land resources, 
water resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, 
socioeconomic conditions, environmental justice, transportation, land 
use, agriculture, public services, noise, hazardous materials, visual 
resources, cumulative effects, indirect effects and mitigation.
    The BIA is the lead agency for compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act for this proposed action. The City of Crescent 
City, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
EPA, and California Department of Fish and Game, as entities having 
jurisdiction and expertise relevant to potentially affected resources, 
are serving as cooperating agencies. In addition, consultation and 
coordination has been executed with the California Coastal Commission.
    The BIA has afforded other government agencies and the public ample 
opportunity to participate in the preparation of this FEIS. The BIA 
published a notice of intent to prepare an EIS for the proposed action 
in the Federal Register on November 21, 2003 (68 FR 65732). The BIA 
held a public scoping meeting on December 15, 2003, in Crescent City. A 
Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on September 30, 2005 (70 FR 57277), and in the Daily 
Triplicate on September 29 and 30, and October 5, 2005. The document 
was available for public comment from September 30 to November 28, 
2005, and a public hearing held November 2, 2005, in Crescent City.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section, during regular 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 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.), 
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: September 6, 2006.
Michael D. Olsen,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-16551 Filed 10-5-06; 8:45 am]
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