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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 92712-92713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27409]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[256A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900]

Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Coquille Indian 
Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Gaming Facility Project, City of Medford, 
Jackson County, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA), as lead agency, with the Coquille Indian Tribe (Tribe), 
City of Medford (City), Jackson County (County), and the Oregon 
Department of Transportation (ODOT) serving as cooperating agencies, 
intends to file a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) with the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in connection with the 
Tribe's application to transfer into trust approximately 2.4 acres for 
gaming purposes in the City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon (Medford 
Site).

DATES: The Record of Decision for the proposed action will be issued on 
or after 30 days from the date the EPA publishes its Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register. The BIA must receive any comments 
on the FEIS before that date.

ADDRESSES: By mail or hand delivery to: Bryan Mercier, Regional 
Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest Region, 911 NE 11th 
Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232. Please include your name, return 
address, and ``FEIS Comments, Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and 
Casino Project'' on the first page of your written comments.
    By email to: Tobiah Mogavero, NEPA Coordinator, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, at: [email protected], using ``FEIS Comments, Coquille 
Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project'' as the subject of your 
email.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tobiah Mogavero, NEPA Coordinator, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest Region, (435) 210-0509, 
[email protected]. Information is also available online at 
https://coquille-eis.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Notice of Availability (NOA) of the 
Draft EIS was published by the BIA (87 FR 72505) and EPA (87 FR 72482) 
in the Federal Register on November 25, 2022. The Draft EIS was 
originally made available for public comment for a 45- day period. 
However, the BIA extended the public comment period for an additional 
45-day period that concluded on February 23, 2023, resulting in a total 
comment period of 90 days. Virtual public hearings were held on 
December 15, 2022, and January 31, 2023, to collect verbal comments on 
the Draft EIS.

Background

    The following alternatives are considered in the FEIS: (1) Proposed 
Project; (2) Phoenix Site; (3) Expansion of the Mill Casino; and (4) 
and No Action/No Development Alternative. The BIA has selected 
Alternative 1, the Proposed Project, as the Preferred Alternative as 
discussed in the FEIS.
    Environmental issues addressed in the FEIS include geology and 
soils, water resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural and 
paleontological resources, socioeconomic conditions (including 
environmental justice), transportation and circulation, land use, 
public services, noise, hazardous materials, aesthetics, cumulative 
effects, and indirect and growth inducing effects.
    The information and analysis contained in the FEIS, as well as its 
evaluation and assessment of the Preferred Alternative, will assist the 
Department in its review of the issues presented in the Tribe's 
application. Selection of the Preferred Alternative does not indicate 
the Department's final decision because the Department must complete 
its review process. The Department's review process consists of (1) 
issuing the notice of availability of the FEIS; (2) issuing a Record of 
Decision no sooner than 30 days following publication of a Notice of 
Availability of the FEIS by the EPA in the Federal Register; and (3) 
transfer of the Medford Site in to trust under the Coquille Restoration 
Act of 1989, 25 U.S.C. 715 et. seq.
    Locations where the FEIS is Available for Review: The FEIS is 
available for review at https://coquille-eis.com. Contact information 
is listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
notice.
    Public Comment Availability: Comments, including names and 
addresses of respondents, will be included as part of the 
administrative record and responses to comments on the Final EIS. 
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, the BIA cannot guarantee that this will 
occur.

Authority

    This notice is published pursuant to section 1503.1 of the Council 
of Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500 through 1508) 
and section 46.305 of the Department of the Interior Regulations (43 
CFR part 46), implementing the procedural requirements of the NEPA of 
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371, et seq.), and is in the exercise of 
authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by 209 
DM 8. This notice is also published in accordance with 40 CFR 93.155, 
which provides reporting

[[Page 92713]]

requirements for conformity determinations.

Bryan Newland,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2024-27409 Filed 11-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P
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