202346 Proposed Nez Perce Tribe Justice Center Phase 2 Facility Expansion Project in Lapwai, Idaho Notice of Availability-Draft Environmental Assessment: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has completed a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the Nez Perce Tribe's proposal to expand their existing tribal court building and construct a parking area and sidewalk to service the expansion (the proposed action). NEPA requires that federal agencies consider the effects of a proposed action and any reasonable alternatives on the human environment. This draft EA evaluates the potential impacts that would result from the implementation of the proposed action compared to the No Action alternative. The draft EA is available upon request. Please send an email request to info@clarkgroupllc.com. The draft EA will be provided in electronic format unless a hard copy is specifically requested. Project Title: Nez Perce Tribe Justice Center Phase 2 Facility Expansion Project Project Proponent: BJA Project Location: 128 Lolo St, Lapwai, Idaho 83540 Purpose of the Proposed Action: The purpose of the proposed project is to expand the Nez Perce Tribal Court building at the Nez Perce Tribe's governmental seat of Lapwai, Idaho. The project is based on a need to expand the capacity of justice services offered on the Nez Perce Reservation. Currently, there is severe overcrowding throughout the existing tribal court building, which has a single courtroom with limited capacity. As a result, there is a lack of space for daily meetings and trainings, insufficient storage capacity, and insufficient safety and security measures to protect the public and staff. Proposed Action Description: The proposed action in this draft EA is to expand the existing Nez Perce Tribal court building by constructing a 5,006-square-foot addition that would connect to the existing tribal court's south wall. The expansion would be a stick-built construction with a traditional stem wall foundation. A 127-foot-by-38-foot gravel parking area to accommodate 11 parking stalls and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk would also be constructed to provide easy and proper access into the building. Site preparation would be minimal, with no need to remove trees. The three existing modular trailers at the project site would be removed from the land to prepare it for construction. Vegetation clearing, along with grading and leveling, would be performed and approximately 300 square feet of concrete pads would be installed for equipment. The existing utility infrastructure, including sewer, electric, and water, would be used, and the building would be connected to these utilities after construction. No new roads are needed as the site is already accessible by existing roadways. Once the project is complete, the expanded tribal court building would be a beneficial addition to the Nez Perce Tribal Court system. The new addition would be used by approximately 10 people, although occupancy may fluctuate over time. Public Comments: BJA is accepting comments on this EA from August 29, 2025, through the end of the day of September 29, 2025. Comments should be submitted by email to info@clarkgroupllc.com, or mailed to The Clark Group, LLC, 137 Elm Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Date of Posting: August 29, 2025