[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5450-5451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01682]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[AAK6006100 A11550000.999900]


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Fee-to-
Trust Conveyance of Property and Casino Project for the Stockbridge-
Munsee Community, Wisconsin in the Town of Thompson, Sullivan County, 
New York

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA) is making available for public review the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed conveyance of 
330  acres of land into trust status and construction of a 
gaming complex. The purpose of the proposed action is to help meet the 
Stockbridge-Munsee Community's (Tribe's) socio-economic needs.

DATES: The Record of Decision (ROD) on the proposed action will be 
issued on or after March 3, 2014, providing a 30 day waiting period 
after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues their Notice of 
Availability (NOA) of the FEIS in the Federal Register.

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 see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this notice for directions for submitting comments and 
locations where copies of the FEIS are available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chester McGhee, (615) 564-6830.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe has requested that the BIA take 
into trust 330 acres of land on which the Tribe proposes to construct a 
casino, hotel, parking areas and other facilities. As this request is 
for land that is off of the Tribe's reservation to be taken into trust 
for gaming purposes, the Tribe has submitted applications under both 
the Indian Reorganization Act (25 U.S.C.

[[Page 5451]]

465 as implemented in 25 CFR part 151) and the Indian Gaming 
Reorganization Act (25 U.S.C. 2719 as implemented in 25 CFR part 292). 
The proposed project is located in the Town of Thompson, New York, just 
off State Route 17 (future I-86).
    The proposed project includes the development of a 350,000 sf 
gaming facility and a 750-room hotel. The gaming facility would include 
a casino floor, food and beverage areas (consisting of a buffet, 
specialty restaurant, bar and coffee bar type facilities), meeting 
space, guest support services, offices and security area. A 
multipurpose/event center would cater to 2,700 visitors. Access to the 
casino would be provided from State Route 17 to County Highway 161. The 
FEIS considers a range of project alternatives, including: (1) 
Preferred casino-hotel complex; (2) reduced casino size; (3) 
alternative financial ventures; (4) different site locations; (5) 
different site plans and (5) no action.
    The preferred casino-hotel complex alternative has been selected as 
the Tribe's Preferred Alternative as discussed in the FEIS. The 
information and analysis contained in the FEIS, as well as its 
evaluation and assessment of the Tribe's Preferred Alternative, are 
intended to assist the Department of the Interior (Department) in its 
review of the issues presented in the Tribe's application. The 
Preferred Alternative does not necessarily reflect the Department's 
final decision because the Department must further evaluate all of the 
criteria listed in 25 CFR part 151 and 25 CFR part 292. The 
Department's consideration and analysis of the applicable regulations 
may lead to a final decision that selects an alternative other than the 
Preferred Alternative, including no action, or a variant of the 
Preferred Alternative or another one of the alternatives analyzed in 
the FEIS.
    Environmental issues addressed in the FEIS include land and water 
resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural and 
paleontological resources, socioeconomic conditions, transportation and 
circulation, land use, public services, noise, hazardous materials, 
visual resources, environmental justice, cumulative effects, indirect 
effects and mitigation.
    The BIA has afforded other government agencies and the public 
extensive opportunity to participate in the preparation of this EIS. 
The BIA published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the EIS for the 
proposed action in the Federal Register on November 20, 2003 (68 FR 
65467). The BIA held a public scoping meeting on December 4, 2003. A 
Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS (DEIS) was published in the 
Federal Register on February 11, 2005 (70 FR 7257). The DEIS was 
available for public comment until March 28, 2005. The BIA held a 
public hearing on the DEIS on March 10, 2005. An FEIS, which contained 
updated analyses in response to public comment, was prepared and 
submitted to the BIA in November 2006. That FEIS was not released 
because the underlying land-to-trust application was denied in January 
2008. Despite a Notice of Cancellation on March 6, 2008 (73 FR 12204), 
the environmental review process remained open and was reactivated when 
the land-into-trust application was reinstated by the BIA in August 
2011. That 2006 FEIS was updated based on the passage of time, and the 
updated FEIS document is now being released for circulation to the 
public.
    Directions for Submitting Comments: Please include your name, 
return address and the caption, ``FEIS Comments, Stockbridge-Munsee 
Community, Wisconsin, Trust Acquisition and Casino Project'' on the 
first page of your written comments.
    Public Availability of the FEIS: Copies of the FEIS will be 
available for viewing at the following locations during normal business 
hours:
     E.B. Crawford Public Library, 393 Broadway, Monticello, 
New York.
     Town Supervisor, Town of Thompson Town Hall, 4052 State 
Route 42, Monticello, New York.
     County Chairman, Sullivan County Government Center, 100 
North Street, Monticello, New York.
    Public Comment Availability: Comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the 
mailing address for the BIA Eastern Regional Office shown in the 
ADDRESSES section during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
(unless otherwise shown), Monday through Friday, except holidays. 
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other 
personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware 
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
request us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.
    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 Assistant Secretary--
Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.1.

    Dated: January 17, 2014.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-01682 Filed 1-30-14; 8:45 am]
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