PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Ho Chunk Nation - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PUBLIC HEARING

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Ho Chunk Nation Beloit Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project

DECEMBER 11, 2018 @ 5:00 P.M.

Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Midwest Region, Norman Point II Building 5600 W. American Boulevard, Suite 500 Bloomington, MN 55347

Purpose of Hearing

 To obtain public comments and feedback on the Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) prepared for the Ho-Chunk Nation Beloit Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project (Proposed Project)

 Public feedback and input is integral part of the NEPA

Review Process

Proposed Action/Proposed Project

 Ho-Chunk Nation has submitted applications to the BIA

requesting:

1)

Trust acquisition of 33-acre Proposed Fee-to-Trust Property in the City of Beloit.

2)

Issuance of a 2-part determination by the Secretary of the Interior making site eligible for gaming in accordance with IGRA

 The Nation subsequently proposes to develop the site with:

 Casino  Hotel  Retail  Water Park  Associated parking and infrastructure

Proposed Trust Property / Project Site

 Proposed Trust Property – 33 acres

 Proposed land to be taken into federal trust

 Project Site – 73.5 acres

 Consists of Proposed Trust Property plus adjacent 40.5

acres owned by the Tribe that would remain within City’s jurisdiction

 Currently used for agricultural purposes  Located in the City of Beloit, bordered by Interstate

39/90, Willowbrook Road, and East Colley Road, 0.5 miles north of the Illinois border

 Zoned by City as “General Manufacturing”

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Regional Location

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Project Site Aerial

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NEPA and Proposed Federal Actions

 NEPA requires federal agencies to take into account

the environmental impact of federal actions and projects prior to implementation

 Environmental Impact Statement – required for major

federal actions significantly impacting the quality of the environment

 In this case, the proposed major federal actions

requested by the Ho-Chunk Nation are:

1)

Trust acquisition of Proposed Fee-to-Trust Property

2) Issuance of a 2-part determination by the

Secretary of the Interior

Notice of Intent to prepare EIS

• Notice placed in Federal Register and

newspapers that BIA intends to prepare an EIS

Scoping

• Identification of potential issues,

alternatives, and impacts to be assessed in the EIS

Draft EIS

• Notice of Availability placed in Federal

Register and Newspapers

Public Comment Period / Hearing

• Public invited to identify potential

issues, alternatives, and impacts to assess in the EIS

Analysis of Public Comments

• Formulation of responses to

comments

Final EIS

• Notice of Availability placed in Federal

Register and newspapers

Record of Decision (ROD)

EIS FLOWCHART

Dates for Ho-Chunk EIS Process

Notice of Intent and Scoping

• Notice of Intent (NOI): November 26, 2012
• Scoping Comment Period: November 26 – December 26, 2012
• Public Scoping Hearing: December 13, 2012
• Scoping Report published: January 31, 2013

Draft EIS

• Federal Register Notice of Availability (NOA): November 9, 2018
• Draft EIS Comment Period: November 9 – December 24, 2018
• Public Hearing: December 11, 2018 We are here

Final EIS

• Issue Final EIS: available for minimum 30-day waiting period
• Includes responses to substantive comments on Draft EIS

Record of Decision (public statement of agency decision)

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Draft EIS Outline

 Addresses the following related to the Proposed

Action/Proposed Project:

 Section 1: Introduction / Purpose and Need  Section 2: Description of Proposed Action and

Alternatives

 Section 3: Affected Environment/Existing Conditions  Section 4: Environmental Consequences of Considered

Alternatives

 Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Impacts

 Section 5: Mitigation Measures

Purpose and Need for Proposed Action

• Facilitate tribal self-sufficiency, self-

determination, and economic development

• Satisfy Department’s land acquisition policy as

articulated in 25 C.F.R. Part 151

• Satisfy the principle goal of the Indian Gaming

Regulatory Act as articulated in 25 U.S.C § 2701

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Draft EIS Alternatives

• Alternative A – Proposed Project
• Alternative B – Reduced Casino and Commercial

Development

• Alternative C – Retail Development
• Alternative D – No Action/No Development

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Alternative A – Proposed Project

• Development of Project Site with:
• 139,700 square-foot casino
• 300-room hotel
• 175,000 square-foot retail outlet
• 40,000 square-foot water park
• convention center, dining facilities, parking, and supporting

facilities

• Approximately 1,985 new full-time equivalent employees

within Rock and Winnebago Counties

• Public Utilities:
• Water Supply – Connect to City’s existing infrastructure
• Wastewater – Connect to City’s existing sewer line

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Rendering

 Site plan

Alternative B – Reduced Casino and Commercial Development

• Development of Project Site with:
• 99,500 square-foot casino
• dining, parking, and supporting facilities
• Eliminates retail, hotel and water park components of

Alt A

• Approximately 1,127 new full-time equivalent

employees within Rock and Winnebago Counties

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 Site plan

Alternative C – Retail Development

• Develop Project Site with:
• 175,000 square-foot retail complex
• parking, and supporting facilities
• Same amount of retail as Alt A but no Casino/Hotel

complex

• Approximately 236 new full-time equivalent

employees within Rock and Winnebago Counties

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 Site plan

Issues Analyzed in the Draft EIS

• Geology and Soils
• Water Resources
• Air Quality and

Greenhouse Gases

• Biological Resources
• Cultural Resources
• Socioeconomic

Conditions

• Transportation and

Circulation

• Land Use
• Public Services
• Noise
• Hazardous Materials
• Aesthetics
• Cumulative Effects
• Indirect Effects
• Mitigation Measures

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Draft EIS BMPs and Mitigation Measures

 Geology and Soils

 Comply with NPDES Construction General Permit for

all disturbed sites, includes preparing a SWPPP

 Water Resources

 Use of LIDs measures and on-site stormwater

management

 Stormwater conveyance shall follow City standards

 Air Quality

 Implement dust control BMPs  Implement measures to reduce CAP, GHG, and DPM

emissions during construction and operation

 Biological Resources

 Conduct pre-construction surveys for migratory birds

and, if found, implement measures to avoid adverse effects.

 Cultural and Paleontological Resources

 Procedures for the inadvertent discovery archaeological

• r paleontological resources or human remains

 Socioeconomics

 Nation shall make payment to City each quarter

equaling 2 percent of Net Win

 Nation shall maintain its programs and policies for the

assessment, identification, and assistance of compulsive gamblers

Draft EIS BMPs and Mitigation Measures

 Noise

 Construction shall not be conducted between 10:00 pm and

7:00 am

 Use of mufflers, shields and minimize idling time

 Transportation

 Nation shall make fair-share payments to improve

impacted intersections and roadway segments

 Hazardous Materials

 Follow BMPS for handling and storage of potentially

hazardous materials

 Stop work if contaminated groundwater is encountered

and follow USEPA guidance on sampling and remediation.

Draft EIS BMPs and Mitigation Measures

 Public Services

 Nation will make $2,000,000 Infrastructure Down

Payment to City and pay connection and monthly service fees

 Final design of sewer and water system will be in

reasonable conformity to City standards

Draft EIS BMPs and Mitigation Measures

Public Review of DEIS

 The DEIS is available for review at:

 BIA Midwest Regional Office

5600 West American Blvd Ste 500 Bloomington, MN 55437

 Beloit Public Library

605 Eclipse Blvd Beloit, WI 53511

 www.Ho-ChunkBeloitEIS.com

Next Steps – Final EIS and ROD

 All comments due to BIA by December 24, 2018  After public review/comment period on Draft EIS has

closed, BIA will prepare Final EIS

 Respond to comments on Draft EIS  Revised Draft EIS

 Final EIS will be made available to public for review  At least 30 days after publication of Final EIS, BIA may

issue Record of Decision (ROD) that includes decision

• n whether or not to approve the Proposed Action

 ROD marks the end of NEPA process

BIA Contact Information

You may mail or hand carry written comments to: Timothy LaPointe, Regional Director Bureau of Indian Affairs, Midwest Region 5600 West American Blvd Ste 500 Bloomington, MN 55437 You may email comments to: Scott Doig, Environmental Protection Specialist Bureau of Indian Affairs, Midwest Region E-mail: scott.doig@bia.gov Email Subject: “Draft EIS Comments, Ho-Chunk Nation Beloit Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project” For further information contact: Timothy Guyah, Archaeologist Bureau of Indian Affairs, Midwest Region 5600 West American Blvd Ste 500 Bloomington, MN 55437 Phone: (612) 725-4512 E-mail: timothy.guyah@bia.gov

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