Notice of Availability – Final Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Morongo Hotel Project – 11/25 – 12/15/2022

As the Lead Agency, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians (Tribe) hereby provides this Notice of Availability of a Final Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Morongo Hotel Project.  This EA documents the environmental review of a proposal by the Tribe to develop a 23-acre Project site to accommodate two standalone hotels, approximately four standalone pad (standalone sites typically located within a parking lot upon which a customized space can be built and/or leased for a tenant) type retail outlets, and three standalone office spaces. The EA supports a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The Project site is located in a previously disturbed area on the Morongo Indian Reservation north of the Seminole Drive traffic circle. Surrounding (<1,000 feet) land uses of the Project site include disturbed Reservation lands to the north and northeast, the existing Morongo Travel Center and the existing Morongo Casino Resort & Spa (MCRS) facility to the east and southeast, the I-10 and associated infrastructure to the south and southwest, the existing Cabazon Outlets to the west, and off-Reservation housing to the northwest. The EA and FONSI are available for review on the Morongo Band of Mission Indians’ website at https://morongonation.org/environmentalreview. Hard copies are available at the Morongo Tribal Administration Building, located at 12700 Pumarra Road, Banning, CA 92220. No further action will be taken on the environmental process for at least 20 days after the publication of this notice. For more information, please contact Dana Morey, Director, Morongo Environmental Protection Department, 12700 Pumarra Rd, Banning, CA 92220, telephone (951) 755-5198, email [email protected].  Written comments should be mailed or emailed to Dana Morey at the addresses above and will be accepted during a 20-day public review period beginning 11/25/2022 and ending 12/15/2022.