[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 182 (Monday, September 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57014-57015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23609]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[156A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Fruitport Casino 
Project, Fruitport Township, Muskegon County, Michigan

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, intends to gather information necessary 
for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in connection with the Little 
River Band of Ottawa Indians (Tribe) application for a proposed 60-acre 
fee-to-trust transfer and casino project to be located in Fruitport 
Township, Muskegon County, Michigan. This notice also announces the 
beginning of the public scoping process to solicit public comments and 
identify potential issues and content for inclusion in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS must arrive by October 
21, 2015. The date and location of a public scoping meeting will be 
announced at least 15 days in advance through a notice to be published 
in the local newspaper, the Muskegon Chronicle, and posted at 
www.littlerivereis.com.

ADDRESSES: You may mail, hand carry, or fax written comments to Ms. 
Diane Rosen, Midwest Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Midwest Region, Norman Pointe II Building, 5600 West American 
Boulevard, Suite 500, Bloomington, Minnesota 55437; Fax: (612) 713-
4401. Additionally, you may email comments to the person listed in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTsection of this notice. Please include 
your name, return address, and ``NOI Comments, Little River Casino 
Project'' on the first page of your written comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Scott Doig, Acting Regional 
Environmental Scientist, Bureau of

[[Page 57015]]

Indian Affairs, Midwest Region, Norman Pointe II Building, 5600 West 
American Boulevard, Suite 500, Bloomington, MN 55437; Phone (612) 725-
4514; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe has submitted an application to 
BIA requesting that approximately 60 acres of land be transferred from 
fee to trust status upon which the Tribe would develop a casino, hotel, 
parking, and other supporting facilities. In order for the Department 
to fully consider and either grant or deny the Tribe's application, the 
Department must first comply with NEPA. The property is located within 
Fruitport Township, Muskegon County, Michigan, approximately 5 miles 
south of the City of Muskegon. It is bounded by Interstate 96 to the 
northeast and Ellis Road to the south. Areas of environmental concern 
identified for analysis in the EIS include land resources, water 
resources, air quality, noise, biological resources, cultural 
resources, resource use patterns, traffic and transportation, public 
health/environmental hazards, public services and utilities, 
socioeconomics, environmental justice, and visual resources/aesthetics. 
Alternatives identified for analysis include the proposed action, a 
non-gaming alternative, a reduced-intensity alternative, and an 
alternative site location. The range of issues and alternatives are 
open to revision based on comments received in response to this notice. 
Other related approvals may be required to implement the project, 
including approval of the Tribe's fee-to-trust application, 
determination of the site's eligibility for gaming, compliance with the 
Clean Water Act, and local service agreements. To the extent 
applicable, the EIS will identify and evaluate issues related to these 
approvals. The purpose of the Tribe's proposed action is to improve the 
economic status of the Tribal government so it can better provide 
housing, health care, education, cultural programs, and other services 
to its members. Additional information, including a map of the project 
site, is available by contacting the person listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

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 of this notice, during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., 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 can ask in your comment that 
your personal identifying information be withheld from public review, 
BIA cannot guarantee that this will occur.

    Authority:  This notice is published in accordance with sections 
1503.1 and 1506.6 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. 4321-4345 et seq.), and the Department 
of the 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: September 14, 2015.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-23609 Filed 9-18-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P