PR-85 02-2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Shawn Pensoneau
(202) 632-7003
Facility License Standards – Implementation Documents
The National Indian Gaming Commission published Facility License Standards in the Federal Register. The Facility Licenses Standards become effective on March 3, 2008, and require tribes to periodically license their gaming facilities and to identify the measures with which they comply to ensure that the construction and operation of those facilities is conducted in a manner that safeguards the environment, public health, and safety of employees and patrons. The regulation also requires tribes to notify the NIGC of its intent to issue a facility license 120 days prior to the opening of a new facility.
NIGC has prepared the following implementation documents to provide guidance to tribes in implementing the Facility License Standards.
1) Updated Facility License Q&As (11/2008): This document answers the questions that have been, or are likely to be raised in relation to implementation of the Facility License Standards and provides guidance on how to comply with the regulation.
2) Implementation Timeline: This document sets out the important dates and timelines related to implementation of the regulation.
3) Sample Submission – New Facility: This document provides an example of the type of notification required when a tribe intends to open a new facility.
4) Sample Submission-EPHS (compliance): This document provides guidance on the type of submission the NIGC anticipates from Tribes regarding the list of laws, resolutions, codes, policies, standards or procedures identified as applicable to the tribe’s gaming facility. This document also includes sample language that a tribe may wish to use when attesting or certifying that it has identified and enforces those laws identified on the EPHS list.
5) Sample Submission – EPHS (non-compliance): This document contains an example of the language that a tribe may wish to include in its EPHS submission if it has determined that it is not currently in compliance with all of those laws, resolutions, codes, policies, standards or procedures identified in its EPHS list.
6) EPHS – List of Laws: This document contains guidance on the list of laws that may be relevant to each of the EPHS areas required to be addressed in a tribe’s facility license submission.
Please note that these documents are provided as guidance only to show what a tribal Facility License submission may look like. The NIGC is aware that each tribal submission will vary depending on the laws, resolutions, codes, policies, standards or procedures applicable to each gaming facility.
As these documents are provided as guidance, but have not yet been reviewed and put into practice by tribes, we are very interested in your feedback related to any improvements or additions you may have to improve the effectiveness of the documents. If you have any additional questions you would like answered, please inform us of that as well.
If you have any additional questions specific to implementation of the Facility License Standards or the material provided as guidance, please feel free to contact your Region Director or the Office of General Counsel or the EPHS Program Manager at 202-632-7003.
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The NIGC is an independent regulatory agency established within the Department of the Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.
