Loewke Planning provided overall guidance and processing for implementation of a Fee-To-Trust program for the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians. The Jackson Rancheria Tribal Reservation is located immediately northeast of the City of Jackson in unincorporated Amador County. The Fee-To-Trust program included 21 total properties representing 875 acres. Supporting this program, we worked closely with the Tribe and the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) through preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA evaluated all potential impacts resulting from the transfer of lands to be placed into federal trust on behalf of the Tribe.

As the Lead Agency, the BIA relied on the EA to adopt of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 875-acre conveyance from fee to trust, and determined that this action would not result in any significant direct or indirect effects to the environment. This action reduced the tax burden on these Tribal Lands, while enabling the Tribe to provide additional housing to members within reservation land held by the U.S. for the benefit of the Tribe. The analysis conducted as part of this program looked at each of the 21 properties to identify building envelopes for future single-family home development, including all construction-related site disturbances such as grading, accessory buildings, and utility and roadway improvements.

Additional environmental analysis and planning guidance was provided to the Tribal leadership to accommodate long-range capital improvements within Tribal Lands. The planned facilities included expansion of sewer, circulation, parking, a Tribal cemetery, and a recreational vehicle park, as well as new grape growing and processing facilities. Analysis and planning for each of these facilities involved compliance with NEPA and demonstration of consistency with established state and federal agreements.