[Federal Register: January 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 7)]
[Notices]
[Page 1475]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ja03-72]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Jamul Indian Village
101 Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino Project, San Diego 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 Jamul Indian Village and the
National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), intends to file a draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency for the proposed approval of a 101-acre fee-to-trust
transfer, a gaming management contract and the construction of
associated casino and support facilities. Details on the proposed
action, location and areas of environmental concern addressed in the
DEIS are provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. This notice
also announces a public hearing to receive comments on the DEIS.
DATES: Written comments on the DEIS must arrive by March 2, 2003. The
public hearing will be held on February 6, 2003, from 6 p.m. to 10
p.m., or until the last public comment is received.
ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Ronald
Jaeger, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Regional
Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1846. Please
include your name, return address and the caption, ``DEIS Comments,
Jamul Indian Village 101 Acre Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, San
Diego County, California,'' on the first page of your written comments.
The public hearing will be at the El Cajon Community Center, 195
East Douglas, El Cajon, California 92020. This meeting will be co-
hosted by the BIA and Jamul Indian Village.
To obtain a copy of the DEIS, please write or call William Allan,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Pacific Region, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1846, telephone
(916) 978-6043. Copies of the DEIS are also available for review at the
Jamul Indian Village Tribal Administration Office, 14191 Highway 94,
Jamul, California 91935, and at the following two public libraries: San
Diego County Library--El Cajon Branch, 201 East Douglas Avenue, El
Cajon, California 92020; and San Diego County Library--Fletcher Hills
Branch, 576 Garfield Avenue, El Cajon, California 92020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Allan, (916) 978-6043.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Jamul Indian Village is located in
eastern San Diego County, California, approximately one mile south of
the community of Jamul. The project area is bordered by Melody Road to
the north, vacant and residentially developed land to the west, vacant
land to the south and State Route 94 to the east. State Route 94
provides direct access to downtown San Diego, approximately 20 miles to
the west, where it intersects with Interstate 5.
The Jamul Indian Village proposes that 101 acres of land be taken
into trust and that a casino, parking, hotel and other facilities
supporting the casino be constructed on the existing Jamul Indian
Village site and the 101-acre trust acquisition. The gaming facility
will be managed by Lakes Kean Argovitz Resorts-California, LLC, (LKAR-
CA) on behalf of the Tribal Government, pursuant to the terms of the
management agreement between the Tribal Government and LKAR-CA. The BIA
serves as the Lead Agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
compliance, with the NIGC, which is responsible for approval of the
gaming management contract, acting as a Cooperating Agency.
Alternatives to the proposed project that are considered in the
DEIS include: (1) Trust acquisition and casino and hotel construction
(the proposed action); (2) trust acquisition, casino and retail
development; (3) trust acquisition and retail development; (4) trust
acquisition, hotel/casino north of Melody Road; and (5) no action.
Environmental issues addressed in the DEIS include land and water
resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources,
socioeconomic conditions, resource use patterns, public services,
environmental justice, growth inducing effects, and cumulative impacts.
Public Comment Solicitation
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the BIA mailing address shown in the
ADDRESSES section, during regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 4 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 part 1500
through1508) implementing the procedural requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 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.
Dated: January 2, 2003.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-517 Filed 1-9-03; 8:45 am]