The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential environmental consequences of the Koi Nation of Northern California’s (Koi Nation) proposed fee-to-trust transfer of an approximately 68.6-acre parcel in unincorporated Sonoma County, California, adjacent to the Town of Windsor, for gaming purposes (Proposed Action). The Proposed Project includes the development of a casino, hotel, conference/event center, restaurant/bars, and supporting parking and infrastructure within the project site. The federal actions necessary to implement the Proposed Project trigger the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The BIA is the Lead Agency for compliance with NEPA.
The BIA previously conducted scoping and prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) that analyzed the potential environmental effects of the proposed action. The EA was made available for public comments and was the subject of a public meeting. Upon consideration of the public and agency comments received, the BIA has decided to prepare an EIS to further analyze the environmental effects which may result from the proposed action.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS was issued on March 8, 2024. Although a formal public scoping process has been conducted and an EA circulated for this proposed federal action, the NOI also announced a 30-day scoping period, ending April 8, 2024, for the public to identify potential issues, concerns, and alternatives to be considered in the EIS which have not previously been raised during this NEPA process. Interested parties may mail or hand-deliver written comments to the address below or submit comments through email to Chad Broussard, Environmental Protection Specialist, Bureau of Indian Affairs, at [email protected]. Please include your name, return address, and “NOI Comments, Koi Nation Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project” on the first page of your written comments or in the subject line of emailed comments.
Amy Dutschke, Regional Director
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Region
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento, CA 95825.