80 FR 48559 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Tejon Indian Tribe's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, Kern County, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 156 (August 13, 2015)

Page Range		48559-48559
FR Document		2015-19973

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as lead agency and the Tejon Indian Tribe (Tribe) as cooperating agency intend to gather information necessary to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Tribe's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, Kern County, California. This notice also opens public scoping to identify potential issues, concerns and alternatives to be considered in the EIS.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 156 (Thursday, August 13, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 156 (Thursday, August 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 48559]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19973]



[[Page 48559]]

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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 Tejon Indian Tribe's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, 
Kern County, California

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 and the Tejon Indian Tribe (Tribe) as 
cooperating agency intend to gather information necessary to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Tribe's Proposed Trust 
Acquisition and Casino Project, Kern County, California. This notice 
also opens public scoping to identify potential issues, concerns and 
alternatives to be considered in the EIS.

DATES: To ensure consideration during the development of the EIS, 
written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent as soon as 
possible and no later than September 14, 2015. The date of the public 
scoping meeting will be announced at least 15 days in advance through a 
notice to be published in the local newspaper (the Bakersfield 
Californian) and online at http://www.tejoneis.com.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-deliver written comments to Amy 
Dutschke, Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Region, 
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825. Please include your 
name, return address, and ``NOI Comments, Tejon Indian Tribe Project'' 
on the first page of your written comments. The location of the public 
scoping meeting will be announced at least 15 days in advance through a 
notice to be published in the local newspaper (the Bakersfield 
Californian) and online at http://www.tejoneis.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Rydzik, Chief, Division of 
Environmental, Cultural Resource Management and Safety, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Pacific Regional Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, 
Room W-2820, Sacramento, California 95825, telephone (916) 978-6051, 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action and a reasonable range 
of alternatives, including a no-action alternative, will be analyzed in 
the EIS. The Tribe has submitted a request to the Department of the 
Interior (Department) for the placement of approximately 306 acres of 
fee land in trust by the United States upon which the Tribe would 
construct a gaming facility. The facility would initially be 
approximately 250,000 square feet, and in a subsequent phase, an 
approximately 300-room hotel and banquet space would be added. 
Accordingly, the proposed action for the Department is the acquisition 
requested by the Tribe. The proposed fee-to-trust property is located 
in unincorporated Kern County, immediately west of the town of Mettler 
and approximately 14 miles south of the City of Bakersfield. The 
property is comprised of four parcels, Assessor's Parcel Numbers 
(APN's) 238-204-02, 238-204-04, 238-204-07 and 238-204-14. The purpose 
of the 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.
    The proposed action encompasses the various Federal approvals which 
may be required to implement the Tribe's proposed economic development 
project, including approval of the Tribe's fee-to-trust application. 
The EIS will identify and evaluate issues related to these approvals, 
and will also evaluate a range of reasonable alternatives. Other 
possible alternatives currently under consideration are a reduced-
intensity casino alternative, an alternate-use (non-casino) alternative 
and one or more off-site alternatives. The range of issues and 
alternatives may be expanded based on comments received during the 
scoping process.
    Areas of environmental concern preliminarily identified for 
analysis in the EIS include land resources; water resources; air 
quality; noise; biological resources; cultural/historical/
archaeological resources; resource use patterns; traffic and 
transportation; public health and safety; hazardous materials and 
hazardous wastes; public services and utilities; socioeconomics; 
environmental justice; visual resources/aesthetics; and cumulative, 
indirect, and growth-inducing effects. 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, during regular business 
hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. 
Before including your address, telephone 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 National Environmental Policy Act Regulations (43 CFR part 
46), and is in the exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.

    Dated: August 6, 2015.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-19973 Filed 8-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 156 / Thursday, August 13, 2015 / Notices 48559

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Department of the Interior (Department) including your address, telephone
for the placement of approximately 306 number, email address, or other
Bureau of Indian Affairs acres of fee land in trust by the United personal identifying information in your
[156A2100DD/AAKC001030/ States upon which the Tribe would comment, you should be aware that
A0A501010.999900 253G] construct a gaming facility. The facility your entire comment—including your
would initially be approximately personal identifying information—may
Notice of Intent To Prepare an 250,000 square feet, and in a subsequent be made publicly available at any time.
Environmental Impact Statement for phase, an approximately 300-room hotel While you can ask in your comment that
the Tejon Indian Tribe’s Proposed and banquet space would be added. your personal identifying information
Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, Accordingly, the proposed action for the be withheld from public review, BIA
Kern County, California Department is the acquisition requested cannot guarantee that this will occur.
by the Tribe. The proposed fee-to-trust Authority: This notice is published in
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, property is located in unincorporated accordance with sections 1503.1 and
Interior. Kern County, immediately west of the 1506.6 of the Council on Environmental
ACTION: Notice. town of Mettler and approximately 14 Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500
miles south of the City of Bakersfield. through 1508) implementing the
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public
The property is comprised of four procedural requirements of the National
that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) parcels, Assessor’s Parcel Numbers Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
as lead agency and the Tejon Indian (APN’s) 238–204–02, 238–204–04, 238– amended (42 U.S.C. 4321–4345 et seq.),
Tribe (Tribe) as cooperating agency 204–07 and 238–204–14. The purpose of and the Department of the Interior
intend to gather information necessary the proposed action is to improve the National Environmental Policy Act
to prepare an Environmental Impact economic status of the Tribal Regulations (43 CFR part 46), and is in
Statement (EIS) for the Tribe’s Proposed government so it can better provide the exercise of authority delegated to the
Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, housing, health care, education, cultural Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs by
Kern County, California. This notice programs, and other services to its 209 DM 8.
also opens public scoping to identify members.
potential issues, concerns and Dated: August 6, 2015.
The proposed action encompasses the
alternatives to be considered in the EIS. various Federal approvals which may be Kevin K. Washburn,
DATES: To ensure consideration during required to implement the Tribe’s Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.
the development of the EIS, written proposed economic development [FR Doc. 2015–19973 Filed 8–12–15; 8:45 am]
comments on the scope of the EIS project, including approval of the BILLING CODE 4337–15–P
should be sent as soon as possible and Tribe’s fee-to-trust application. The EIS
no later than September 14, 2015. The will identify and evaluate issues related
date of the public scoping meeting will to these approvals, and will also DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
be announced at least 15 days in evaluate a range of reasonable
advance through a notice to be alternatives. Other possible alternatives Bureau of Indian Affairs
published in the local newspaper (the currently under consideration are a [156A2100DD/AAKC001030/
Bakersfield Californian) and online at reduced-intensity casino alternative, an A0A501010.999900 253G]
http://www.tejoneis.com. alternate-use (non-casino) alternative
ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand- and one or more off-site alternatives. Indian Gaming
deliver written comments to Amy The range of issues and alternatives may AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Dutschke, Regional Director, Bureau of be expanded based on comments Interior.
Indian Affairs, Pacific Region, 2800 received during the scoping process.
Areas of environmental concern ACTION: Notice of Tribal-State Class III
Cottage Way, Sacramento, California Gaming Compacts taking effect.
95825. Please include your name, return preliminarily identified for analysis in
address, and ‘‘NOI Comments, Tejon the EIS include land resources; water SUMMARY: The Department provides
Indian Tribe Project’’ on the first page resources; air quality; noise; biological notice that the Indian Gaming Compact
of your written comments. The location resources; cultural/historical/ between the State of New Mexico and
of the public scoping meeting will be archaeological resources; resource use Ohkay Owingeh governing Class III
announced at least 15 days in advance patterns; traffic and transportation; gaming (Compact) is in effect pursuant
through a notice to be published in the public health and safety; hazardous to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
local newspaper (the Bakersfield materials and hazardous wastes; public
DATES: Effective Date: August 13, 2015.
Californian) and online at http:// services and utilities; socioeconomics;
environmental justice; visual resources/ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
www.tejoneis.com. Paula L. Hart, Director, Office of Indian
aesthetics; and cumulative, indirect, and
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. growth-inducing effects. Additional Gaming, Office of the Deputy Assistant
John Rydzik, Chief, Division of information, including a map of the Secretary—Policy and Economic
Environmental, Cultural Resource project site, is available by contacting Development, Washington, DC 20240,
Management and Safety, Bureau of the person listed in the FOR FURTHER (202) 219–4066.
Indian Affairs, Pacific Regional Office, INFORMATION CONTACT section of this SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, Room notice. section 11 of the Indian Gaming
W–2820, Sacramento, California 95825, Public comment availability: Regulatory Act (IGRA) Public Law 100–
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

telephone (916) 978–6051, email Comments, including names and 497, 25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq., the
john.rydzik@bia.gov. addresses of respondents, will be Secretary of the Interior shall publish in
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The available for public review at the BIA the Federal Register notice of approved
proposed action and a reasonable range address shown in the ADDRESSES Tribal-State compacts for the purpose of
of alternatives, including a no-action section, during regular business hours, 8 engaging in Class III gaming activities
alternative, will be analyzed in the EIS. a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through on Indian lands. As required by 25 CFR
The Tribe has submitted a request to the Friday, except holidays. Before 293.4, all compacts are subject to review

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Document Created: 2018-02-23 10:56:49
Document Modified: 2018-02-23 10:56:49

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		To ensure consideration during the development of the EIS, written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent as soon as possible and no later than September 14, 2015. The date of the public scoping meeting will be announced at least 15 days in advance through a notice to be published in the local newspaper (the Bakersfield Californian) and online at http://www.tejoneis.com.
Contact		Mr. John Rydzik, Chief, Division of Environmental, Cultural Resource Management and Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Regional Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, Room W-2820, Sacramento, California 95825, telephone (916) 978-6051, email [email protected]
FR Citation		80 FR 48559

80 FR 48559 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Tejon Indian Tribe's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, Kern County, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Indian Affairs

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 156 (August 13, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs