Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Jamul Indian Village 101 Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino Project, San Diego County, CA
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[Federal Register: April 2, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 63)]
[Notices]
[Page 15582]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02ap02-104]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed 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), with the cooperation of the Jamul Indian Village and the
National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), intends to gather information
necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the
proposed 101 acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino Project in San Diego
County, California. The purpose of the proposed action is to help meet
the land base and economic needs of the Jamul Indian Village.
DATES: Comments on the scope and implementation of this proposal must
arrive by April 22, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry written comments to Ronald M. Jaeger,
Regional Director, Pacific Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2800
Cottage Way, Sacramento, California 95825-1846.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Allan, (916) 978-6043.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Jamul Indian Village is located in
eastern San Diego County, approximately one mile south of the community
of Jamul. The project area is bordered on the north by Melody Lane, on
the west by vacant and residentially developed land, on the south by
vacant land and on the east by State Route 94. 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, that a casino be constructed on existing trust land, and
that parking and other facilities supporting the casino be constructed
on 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 will serve
as the Lead Agency for National Environmental Policy Act compliance.
The NIGC, which is responsible for approval of the gaming management
contract, will be a Cooperating Agency.
The BIA released an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the proposed
action for public comment on February 1, 2001. The EA was revised in
response to public comment and released as a final EA, with a Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI), on November 16, 2001. The FONSI was
based on, among other factors, mitigation of potentially significant
impacts to traffic on highway 94. After three parties appealed the
FONSI, the BIA determined the mitigation proposed for traffic to be too
provisional, hence an EIS would be required.
The BIA and NIGC propose to use the extensive public comments
received during the public review of the EA as scoping comments for the
EIS. Areas of environmental concern identified include, in addition to
traffic, threatened and endangered species, wildlife habitat and
conservation areas, wastewater disposal, air quality, and socio-
economic impacts. The range of issues to be addressed may be further
expanded based on comments received during the scoping process.
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 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: March 14, 2002.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-7948 Filed 4-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P
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