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Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Hannahville Tribe of Potawatomi Indians' Hotel and Casino Project, Romulus, MI

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: February 14, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 30)]
[Notices]
[Page 7068-7069]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14fe07-102]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Hannahville Tribe of Potawatomi Indians' Hotel and Casino
Project, Romulus, MI

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, with Hannahville Tribe of Potawatomi
Indians (Tribe) as a cooperating agency, intends to gather information
necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a
proposed hotel and casino project to be located on 9.8 acres of a 24.8
acre parcel owned by the Tribe in Romulus, Michigan. The purpose of the
proposed action is to help address the socioeconomic needs of the
Tribe. This notice also announces a public scoping meeting to identify
public and agency concerns and alternatives to be considered in the
EIS. The Tribes' application seeks to have a portion of

[[Page 7069]]

the off-reservation parcel taken into trust pursuant to Section 5 of
the Indian Reorganization Act and implementing regulations in 25 CFR
part 151, and requests a Secretarial determination pursuant to Section
20(b)(1)(A) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that a proposed gaming
establishment on the parcel would be in the best interest of the Tribe
and its members, and not detrimental to the surrounding community. We
are aware that some members of the public have expressed concerns about
off-reservation gaming. In this case, the parcel is located over 450
miles from the Tribe's reservation. We are soliciting and will consider
accommodating the views of elected officials (State, county, city,
etc.) and community members in the local areas as part of our decision-
making process. We also plan a more detailed consideration of the broad
implications associated with new gaming operations within established
communities where gaming is not currently conducted.

DATES: The public hearing will be held March 8, 2007, starting at 7
p.m. and continuing until all those who wish to make statements have
been heard. Written comments on the scope and implementation of this
proposal must arrive by March 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting will be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
Detroit Metro Airport, 800 Merriman Road, Romulus, Michigan 48174. It
will be co-hosted by the BIA and the Tribe. You may mail or hand-carry
written comments to Terrance L. Virden, Regional Director, Midwest
Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal
Building, One Federal Drive, Room 550, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota 55111.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Doig, (612) 725-4514.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed project is located on a 24.8-
acre site in the City of Romulus, Michigan. The site is situated north
of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, approximately 0.5 miles north of
Interstate 94 and 20 miles east of Detroit, Michigan. As part of the
project, the U.S. Department of the Interior, on behalf of the Tribe,
will consider whether or not to take 9.8 acres of the 24.8-acre project
site into federal trust. In addition to the proposed action, a
reasonable range of alternatives, which will include a no-action
alternative and may include an on-reservation alternative, will be
considered during the NEPA compliance process.
    The Tribe consists of approximately 780 members. A Tribal Council,
under a federally approved constitution, governs tribal affairs. The
United States presently holds approximately 5,800 acres of land in the
upper peninsula of the State of Michigan in trust for the Tribe.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments including names and addresses of respondents, will be
available for public review at the BIA address show in the ADDRESSES
section, during business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 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. 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
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.), the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6),
and is in the exercise of authority delegated to the Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 DM8.

    Dated: February 8, 2007.
Michael D. Olsen,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 07-678 Filed 2-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-M

 
 

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