National Indian Gaming Commission September 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Rancheria (the ``Graton Rancheria''), intends to gather information necessary for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed casino and hotel project to be located in Sonoma, California. This notice supplements the Notice of Intent (NOI) which appeared in the Federal Register on February 12, 2004 (69 FR 7022 (Feb. 12, 2004)) and advises the public that the NIGC and BIA intends to gather further information necessary to prepare an EIS for a proposed casino and hotel project to be located in Sonoma County, California. The purpose of the proposed action is to help address the socio-economic needs of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. The proposed action is very similar to that proposed in the February 12, 2004, NOI, with the exception that the casino and hotel would be constructed adjacent to and on the east side of the previously proposed site. The shift of the proposed construction site is being considered to avoid environmental constraints discovered on the original site, particularly, to avoid wetlands identified on the original site. Additional details of the new proposed action and location are provided below in the Supplemental Information section. The supplemental scoping process will include notification of and opportunity for the general public and Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to comment on the new proposed action. The purpose of scoping is to identify public and agency concerns on environmental issues, and alternatives to be considered in the EIS. All the information and comments gathered in response to the earlier NOI remain in the record, and there is no need to repeat information submitted at that time.