Announcements & Events

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY  OF  AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FOR  THE PROPOSED RIGHT-OF-WAY ROAD EXPANSION ON ABSENTEE SHAWNEE TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA TRACT 820-201-H, POTAWATOMIE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA  The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Southern Plains Regional Office announces the availability of and invites public comments on the Environmental Assessment (EA) & Finding of No Significant Impact  (FONSI) for a proposed right-of-way (ROW) road expansion on Absentee Shawnee Tribal Trust property 820-201-H. The site for the proposed ROW road expansion is located approximately 3.6 miles (straight-line distance) northeast of the town center of Tecumseh, Oklahoma. The purpose of the proposed action will be to create access from the 2.50-acre 820-201-H allotment to a 40-acre Absentee Shawnee Trust Tract (820-201-C) to serve Absentee Shawnee Tribal Members.  The proposed project will consist of extending an existing gravel road section 330ft east-west and 30ft north-south to reach the 820-201-C tract. Based on the EA dated February 2024, which analyzes the potential impacts of the proposed action, it has been determined that the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement is not required and a FONSI has been signed by the Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southern Plains Regional Office.  The EA and FONSI are available for review at the BIA Southern Plains Regional Office in Anadarko, Oklahoma.  Arrangements to review the EA and FONSI should be made with Michael Hardsaw prior to your visit.  Mr. Hardsaw can be reached at 405.933.3678 or via email at michael.hardsaw@bia.gov.   The FONSI is a finding on environmental effects, not a decision to proceed, therefore it cannot be appealed.  25 CFR 2.7 requires a 30-day appeal period after the decision to proceed with the action is made before the action may be implemented.  Appeal information will be made publically available when the decision to proceed is made. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR BID ON CONSTRUCTION.  Written comments and/or questions related to the EA and FONSI should be directed to:  Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southern Plains Regional Office  Attn: Michael Hardsaw, Interim Regional Environmental Scientist  P.O. Box 368  Anadarko, OK  73005