Notice2022-25727
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Gaming Facility Project, City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 25, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentIndian Affairs Bureau
Abstract
This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as lead agency intends to file a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Coquille Indian Tribe fee-to-trust and Gaming Facility Project, City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon. This notice also announces that the DEIS is now available for public review and that a virtual public hearing will be held to receive comments on the DEIS.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 226 (Friday, November 25, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 226 (Friday, November 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72505-72506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25727]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[223A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900]
Draft 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA) as lead agency intends to file a draft environmental
impact statement (DEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) for the Coquille Indian Tribe fee-to-trust and Gaming Facility
Project, City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon. This notice also
announces that the DEIS is now available for public review and that a
virtual public hearing will be held to receive comments on the DEIS.
DATES: Comments on the DEIS must arrive within 45 days after the EPA
publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The date
and time of the virtual public hearing on the DEIS will be announced at
least 15 days in advance through a notice to be published in a local
newspaper (the Medford Mail Tribune) and online at <a href="http://www.coquille-eis.com">www.coquille-eis.com</a>.
ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-deliver written comments to:
<bullet> By mail to: Mr. Bryan Mercier, Northwest Regional
Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest Region, 911 Northeast
11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232. Please include your name, return
address, and the caption: ``DEIS Comments, Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-
to-Trust and Gaming Facility Project,'' on the first page of your
written comments.
<bullet> By email to: Mr. Brian Haug, Bureau of Indian Affairs, at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e5d716f6b7772727b5d7f6d7770715b574d5e7c777f30797168"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d5e726c68747171785e7c6e74737258544e5d7f747c337a726b">[email protected]</span></a>, using ``DEIS Comments, Coquille Tribe
Medford Gaming Facility Project'' as the subject of your email.
The DEIS will be available for public review at:
<bullet> Medford Branch Library of Jackson County Library Services,
205 South Central Avenue, Medford, Oregon 97501; and <a href="http://www.coquille-eis.com">www.coquille-eis.com</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian Haug, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Northwest Region, (503) 231-6780 (Office), (503) 231-2201
(Fax), <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#befdd1cfcbd7d2d2dbfddfcdd7d0d1fbf7edfedcd7df90d9d1c8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b08243a3e2227272e082a382225240e02180b29222a652c243d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public review of the DEIS is part of the
administrative process for BIA's evaluation of the Tribe's application
to acquire approximately 2.4 acres of land in trust in the City of
Medford, Jackson County, Oregon, for gaming purposes. Pursuant to
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) regulations (40 CFR 1506.10), the publication of the Notice
of Availability by the EPA in the Federal Register initiates the 45-day
public comment period. A Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental
impact statement was published in the Medford Mail Tribune on January
16 and 18, 2015, and the Federal Register on January 15, 2015 (80 FR
2120). The BIA held a public scoping meeting for the project on
February 3, 2015, at the North Medford High School, Medford, Oregon.
Background
The Tribe requested that the Department acquire 2.4 acres of land
in trust City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon, for gaming purposes.
The Tribe's Proposed Project consists of the retrofit and remodel of an
existing bowling alley on the proposed trust parcel into a 30,300-
square foot gaming facility with class II gaming machines, food and
beverage facilities, administrative space, associated parking on
adjacent fee land, and ancillary facilities. Access to the site would
be provided via two existing driveways along Highway 99.
The following alternatives are considered in the DEIS: (1) Proposed
[[Page 72506]]
Project; (2) Phoenix Site (alternative site); (3) Expansion of the
Tribe's existing Mill Casino; (4) No Action/No Development.
Environmental issues addressed in the DEIS 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.
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 in accordance with section 1503.1 of the
Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1500 et seq.) and
the Department of the Interior regulations (43 CFR part 46)
implementing the procedural requirements of the NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.), and in accordance with the exercise of authority delegated to
the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs by part 209 of the Department
Manual.
Bryan Newland,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2022-25727 Filed 11-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337-15-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 25, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.