[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7068-7069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-678]


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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]
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