The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has released an Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOI-BIA-AK-61628) dated December 2024 for the Eklutna Native Village (Tribe) Gaming Facility Project. The EA has been completed in accordance with requirements set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 United States Code [USC] §4321 et seq.), the 2024 Council on Environmental Quality regulations for Implementing NEPA (40 CFR § 1500 et seq.), the Department of the Interior’s Procedures for the Implementation of NEPA (43 CFR Part 46), and the BIA NEPA Handbook (59 Indian Affairs Manual 3-H), and assesses the environmental impacts that could result from the BIA’s approval of a business lease between the Native Allotment landowners and the Eklutna Native Village tribal government for the development and operation of a class II gaming facility (Proposed Action). The Project Site is located in the unincorporated community of Chugiak within the boundaries of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska.

The BIA serves as the Lead Agency for NEPA compliance and will use the EA to determine if the Proposed Action would result in significant adverse effects to the environment. Public comments will be considered by the BIA, and either a Finding of No Significant Impact will be prepared, or additional environmental analysis will be conducted. After the NEPA process is complete, the BIA may issue a determination on the Proposed Action.

Public Comment Period: December 20, 2024 – January 9, 2025
A Notice of Availability (NOA) for the EA was made available on this website on December 20, 2024 and published in the e-Edition of the Anchorage Daily News on Sunday, December 22, 2024. The NOA described the Proposed Action and announced the initiation of the public comment period, which was originally set to close on January 6, 2025. The comment period for the EA was extended via a Notice made available on this website on Friday, January 3, 2025 and published in the e-Edition of the Anchorage Daily News on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Interested parties are now invited to submit comments on the EA by end of day Thursday January 9, 2025.

Written comments on the EA can be submitted as follows:

Email:
Alaska_NEPA@bia.gov

Mail or hand-deliver:
Jolene John, Regional Director
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Alaska Region
3601 C Street, Suite 1200
Anchorage, AK 99503

Please include your name, return address, and “EA Comments, Eklutna Native Village Gaming Facility Project” on the first page of mailed/hand-delivered comments or in the subject line of emailed comments.