[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 155 (Thursday, August 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 49785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20476]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Samish Indian Nation Fee-to-Trust Acquisition and Casino 
Project, Skagit County, WA

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as lead agency is gathering 
information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) in connection with the Samish Indian Nation's (Tribe's) 
application for a proposed 11.41-acre fee-to-trust transfer and casino 
project to be located in Anacortes, Washington. 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. This notice also 
announces a public scoping meeting to identify potential issues and 
content for inclusion in the EIS.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS will be accepted until 
September 16, 2011. The public scoping meeting will be held on 
September 14, 2011, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. PDT, or until the last 
comment is heard.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Mr. Stanley 
Speaks, Northwest Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Northwest Region, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232. Please 
include your name, return caption, address and ``DEIS Scoping Comments, 
Samish Indian Nation Casino Project'' on the first page of your written 
comments. The public scoping meeting will be held at Fidalgo Bay Resort 
Community Center, 4701 Fidalgo Bay Road, Anacortes, WA 98221.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. B.J. Howerton, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, BIA Northwest Region, (503) 231-6749.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would transfer 
approximately 11.41 acres of land from fee to trust status. After the 
transfer, the Tribe would develop a casino, parking, and other 
supporting facilities. The property is located within the incorporated 
boundaries of the City of Anacortes, Washington, southeast of the 
intersection of Thompson Road and State Route 20. 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 no-
action alternative, a reduced-intensity development alternative, a non-
gaming alternative, and an alternate site location alternative. The 
range of issues and alternatives is open to revision based on comments 
received in response to this notice. 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. 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.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the 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, phone 
number, e-mail 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, we cannot 
guarantee that this will occur.

Authority

    This notice is published in accordance with sections 1503.1 of the 
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through 
1508) and section 46.305 of the Department of the Interior Regulations 
(43 CFR part 46), implementing the procedural requirements of NEPA, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and is in the exercise of authority 
delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, by part 209 of 
the Departmental Manual.

    Dated: July 29, 2011.
Larry Echo Hawk,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-20476 Filed 8-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P