PUBLIC NOTICE The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) is considering a request for Federal assistance from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to construct a Wild Rice Processing Plant near Cass Lake, in Cass County, Minnesota for the purpose of processing wild rice. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, EDA is conducting an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed project. The project will consist of construction of a 156,650 square foot fenced compound to contain their wild rice processing facility with construction of one 4,699 sq ft enclosed structure which would house machinery necessary for the processing of fresh rice into a marketable product. Machines will include four wood-fired parchers, two hullers, two (2) screen separators, two (2) gravity separators, and one bagger. An onsite drinking water well and wastewater treatment system will also be part of the design. Total land disturbance will be 2 acres. The project will be located at NE ¼ of the NW 4 Lying W of GN RY, W ½ of NW 1/4 of SW 4 Section 21, Township 145, Range 31 5th Principal Meridian, in Cass County Minnesota. The purpose of the project is to provide the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe with their own secure wild rice processing plant. Project information is available for review at Leech Lake Division of Resource Management, 15756 State 371 N, Cass Lake, MN 56633, 218-252-2805 If you have any information regarding potential environmental impacts associated with this proposed project, please provide it in writing to: Kyle Darton Environmental Protection Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Chicago Regional Office KDarton@eda.gov A copy of the NEPA/NHPA decisional document will be available upon request at the above EDA Regional Office. Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm on April 4, 2024 PUBLIC NOTICE The U.S. Department of Commerce , Economic Development Administration ( EDA ) is considering a request for Federal assistance from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to construct a Wild Rice Processing Plant near Cass Lake , in Cass County , Minnesota for the purpose of processing wild rice . Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 , as amended , EDA is conducting an environmental assessment ( EA ) of the proposed project . The project will consist of construction of a 156,650 square foot fenced compound to contain their wild rice processing facility with construction of one 4,699 sq ft enclosed structure which would house machinery necessary for the processing of fresh rice into a marketable product . Machines will include four wood - fired parchers , two hullers , two ( 2 ) screen separators , two ( 2 ) gravity separators , and one bagger . An onsite drinking water well and wastewater treatment system will also be part of the design . Total land disturbance will be 2 acres . The project will be located at NE ¼ of the NW 4 Lying W of GN RY , W ½ of NW 1/4 of SW 4 Section 21 , Township 145 , Range 31 5th Principal Meridian , in Cass County Minnesota . The purpose of the project is to provide the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe with their own secure wild rice processing plant . Project information is available for review at Leech Lake Division of Resource Management , 15756 State 371 N , Cass Lake , MN 56633 , 218-252-2805 If you have any information regarding potential environmental impacts associated with this proposed project , please provide it in writing to : Kyle Darton Environmental Protection Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Chicago Regional Office KDarton@eda.gov A copy of the NEPA / NHPA decisional document will be available upon request at the above EDA Regional Office . Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm on April 4 , 2024