[Federal Register: March 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 46)]
[Notices]
[Page 10790-10792]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09mr07-130]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Indian Gaming Commission
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
and a Draft Conformity Determination for the proposed Federated Indians
of the Graton Rancheria Casino and Hotel Project, Sonoma, CA
AGENCY: National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).
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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the NIGC, in
cooperation with the Federated Indians of the Graton
[[Page 10791]]
Rancheria (the ``Graton Rancheria''), has prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed casino and hotel
project/action to be located in Sonoma, California. The purpose of the
proposed project/action is to help address the socio-economic needs of
the Graton Rancheria. The DEIS documents the existing condition of
environmental resources in and around the areas considered for
development and the potential impacts on those resources as a result of
implementing each of the alternatives. The alternatives considered in
detail are: a casino/hotel project on the ``Wilfred Site'' (the
proposed project/action), a casino/hotel project on the ``Stony Point
Site,'' a casino/hotel project on the ``Lakeville Site,'' a reduced
intensity casino/hotel project on the ``Stony Point'' site, an
alternate use project on the ``Stony Point'' site, and a no proposed
project/action alternative.
In accordance with Section 176 of the Clean Air Act 42 U.S.C. 7506,
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) general conformity
regulations 40 CFR Part 93, Subpart B, a Draft Conformity Determination
(DCD) has been prepared for the proposed project. The DCD is contained
within Appendix W of the DEIS.
DATES: A public information workshop will be held at the Spreckels
Performing Arts Center, Nellie W. Codding Theatre, 5409 Snyder Lane,
Rohnert Park, CA 94928 on April 4, 2007 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Following
the public information workshop, the NIGC will hold a public hearing
from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (or until all comments have been recorded) to
provide the public an opportunity to comment on the DEIS and/or the
DCD. A second public information workshop will be held at the Wells
Fargo Center for the Arts (formerly the Luther Burbank Center), Ruth
Finley Person Theatre, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
on April 5, 2007 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Following the public information
workshop, the NIGC will hold a public hearing from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
(or until all comments have been recorded) to provide the public an
opportunity to comment on the DEIS and/or the DCD. The NIGC will also
be accepting written comments. Written comments on the DEIS and/or the
DCD must be postmarked by May 14, 2007, and sent to the addressed
listed below.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS and/or the DCD should be
addressed to: Brad Mehaffy, NEPA Compliance Officer, National Indian
Gaming Commission, 1441 L Street, NW., Suite 9100 Washington DC 20005
(or) fax to: Brad Mehaffy at 202-632-7066 (or) e-mailed to:
graton_eis@nigc.gov.
Please include your name, return address, and the caption: ``DEIS
Comments, Graton Rancheria Casino and Hotel Project'', on the first
page of your written comments. The public information workshops and
public hearings will be hosted by the NIGC at the Spreckels Performing
Arts Center, Nellie W. Codding Theatre, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park,
CA 94928 and the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts (formerly the Luther
Burbank Center), Ruth Finley Person Theatre, 50 Mark West Springs Road,
Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the NEPA
review procedures, the status of the NEPA review, or the general
conformity requirements, contact Brad Mehaffy, NIGC NEPA Compliance
Officer, 202-632-7003. Additional information (e.g. public notices,
scoping reports, and contact information) can also be obtained at the
following Web site: (http://www.gratoneis.com/). The DEIS is available
for review at the Rohnert Park--Cotati Regional Library and Santa Rosa
Central Library. General information, including directions and office
hours, is available online at: http://www.sonoma.lib.ca.us/branches/ or
by calling (707) 584-9121 for the Rohnert Park--Cotati Regional Library
or (707) 545-0831 for the Santa Rosa Central Library.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed federal action is the NIGC's
approval of a gaming management contract between the Graton Rancheria
and SC Sonoma Management LLC. The approval of the gaming management
contract would result in the development of a resort hotel, casino, and
supporting facilities. The facility will be managed by SC Sonoma
Management LLC on behalf of the Graton Rancheria, pursuant to the terms
of a gaming management contract.
The NIGC published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register
on February 12, 2004, briefly describing the proposed project/action
and announcing the NIGC's intent to prepare an EIS. The Council of
Environmental Quality (``CEQ'') regulations for implementing NEPA
require a process, referred to as ``scoping,'' for determining the
range of environmental issues to be addressed during the environmental
review of a proposed project/action (40 CFR 1501.7). The scoping
process entails a determination of environmental issues to be studied
and documented in the EIS by soliciting comments from agencies,
organizations and individuals.
During the scoping process, the NIGC solicited comments from the
general public (providing a 50-day comment period and including a
public hearing) and offered Cooperating Agency status to both Federal
and non-Federal agencies, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the California
Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the County of Sonoma. An EIS
Scoping Report was published in August 2004, which summarized public
scoping comments and identified the BIA, USACE, Caltrans, and Sonoma
County as cooperating agencies.
Since the release of the August 2004 Scoping Report the location
for the proposed casino-hotel project has changed. A supplemental
scoping process was initiated to address this change and allow an
opportunity for the general public and agencies to comment on the scope
of analysis for the new proposed location. A supplemental NOI was
published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2005 and a second
public comment period and public hearing were provided. A second,
updated EIS Scoping Report was published in January 2006.
The DEIS has been prepared which has incorporated the issues and
concerns summarized within the scoping reports, to the extent required
by NEPA. Seven alternatives are evaluated in detail in the DEIS,
including development on one of three alternatives sites and a no
action alternative. The proposed project/action (Alternative A)
includes a casino/hotel resort on a site west of Rohnert Park (the
Wilfred site). The casino/hotel resort would include restaurants, a
hotel, an entertainment venue, gaming space, banquet/meeting space, and
a pool and spa. In addition to the casino/hotel facility, the proposed
development would also include on-site parking and possibly an on-site
tertiary wastewater treatment plant.
Alternative B consists of the development of a casino/hotel resort
nearly identical to that proposed under Alternative A, but located on
the northwest corner of an adjacent site, slightly further west of
Rohnert Park (the Stony Point site). Alternative C also consists of the
development of a casino/hotel resort nearly identical to that proposed
under Alternative A. However, the Alternative C casino/hotel resort
would be located on the northeast
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corner of the Stony Point site. Alternative D consists of a smaller-
scale version of Alternative B. Alternative E consists of a business
park development located on the northwest corner of the Stony Point
site. Alternative F consists of the development of a casino/hotel
resort nearly identical to that proposed under Alternative A but
located on a different site in southern Sonoma County near the
intersection of State Route 37 and the Lakeville Highway (the Lakeville
site). Finally, Alternative G is the no project/action alternative,
under which the NIGC would not approve the management contract.
The Clean Air Act requires Federal agencies to assure that their
actions conform to applicable implementation plans for achieving and
maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for criteria air
pollutants. The NIGC has prepared a DCD for the proposed action/project
described above. The DCD is including in Appendix W of the DEIS.
Public Comment And Solicitation: Written comments on the DEIS and/
or DCD must be postmarked by May 14, 2007. Comments received (written,
orally during the public hearing, or via U.S. mail/fax/e-mail) will be
considered during the preparation of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) and the Final Conformity Determination (FCD). At this
time, there is no planned publication or distribution date for the FEIS
or FCD.
Commenting individuals 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 comments. Such requests
will be honored to the extent allowed by law. Anonymous comments will
not, however, be considered. All submissions from organizations or
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be
made available to public in their entirety.
Authority: This notice is published in accordance with Sections
1506.6 of the CEQ regulations 40 CFR, Parts 1500 through 1508
implementing the procedural requirements of the NEPA of 1969, as
amended 42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq. This notice is also published in
accordance with 40 CFR 93.155, which provides reporting requirements
for conformity determinations.
Dated: March 2, 2007.
Philip N. Hogen,
Chairman.
[FR Doc. E7-4087 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7565-01-P
