[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]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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