[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2120-2121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00550]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[AAK6006201 156A2100DD AOR3030.999900]


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Proposed Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, City of 
Medford, Jackson County, Oregon

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 intends to gather information necessary 
for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in connection with the 
Coquille Indian Tribe's (Tribe) application for a proposed 2.4-acre 
fee-to-trust transfer and casino project to be located in the City of 
Medford, Jackson County, Oregon. This notice also announces the 
beginning of the public scoping process to solicit public comments and 
identify issues.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS must arrive by February 
17, 2015. The date 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 Mail Tribune, and posted at www.coquilleeis.com.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-deliver written comments to Mr. Stanley 
Speaks, Northwest Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Northwest Region, 911 Northeast 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-
4165. Please include your name, return address, and ``DEIS Scoping 
Comments, Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project'' on 
the first page of your written comments. The 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 Mail Tribune, and 
posted at www.coquilleeis.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. BJ Howerton, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Northwest Regional Office, 911 Northeast 11th Avenue, 
Portland, Oregon 97232; fax (503) 231-2275; phone (503) 231-6749.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tribe has submitted an application to 
the BIA requesting that approximately 2.4 acres of land be transferred 
from fee to trust status (Proposed Action), upon which the Tribe would 
renovate an existing bowling alley to convert it into a gaming 
facility. 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 proposed fee-to-trust property is located within the 
incorporated boundaries of the City of Medford, Oregon, adjacent to the 
northeastern boundary of Highway 99, between Charlotte Ann Lane and 
Lowry Lane. The Tribe's stated purpose of the Proposed Action is to 
improve the economic status of the Tribe so it can better provide 
housing, health care, education, cultural programs, and other services 
to its members. Adjacent fee land would be used for parking.
    The Proposed Action encompasses the various federal approvals which 
may be required to implement the Tribe's proposed economic development 
project, including approval of the Tribe's fee-to-trust application. 
The EIS will identify and evaluate issues related to these approvals.
    Areas of environmental concern identified for analysis in the EIS 
include land resources; water resources; air quality; noise; biological 
resources; cultural/historical/archaeological resources; resource use 
patterns; traffic and transportation; public health and safety; 
hazardous materials and hazardous wastes; public services and 
utilities; socioeconomics; environmental justice; visual resources/
aesthetics; and cumulative, indirect, and growth-inducing effects. The 
range of issues and alternatives to be addressed in the EIS may be 
expanded or reduced based on comments received in response to this 
notice and at the public scoping meeting. 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, 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, the BIA cannot guarantee that this will 
occur.


[[Page 2121]]


    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: January 8, 2015.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-00550 Filed 1-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-2A-P