The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts said a memo from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar paves the way for consideration of its land-into-trust application.

The tribe has two pending applications. Both involve gaming.

The applications fell into limbo after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, which restricts the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. The Mashpees didn't gain formal recognition until May 2007

But the Salazar memo instructs the Bureau of Indian Affairs to move forward with pending applications. “It’s very great news for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and also for Indian country all across America,” Chairman Cedric Cromwell told State House News Service.

The tribe wants to negotiate a Class III compact with the state. Lawmakers are considering a bill [Summary | Full Text] to legalize casino gaming in Massachusetts.

Get the Story:
Tribe's casino odds improve (The Cape Cod Times 6/30)
Mashpee tribe claims win in Salazar memo (State House News Service 6/30)
Murray warns of state loss on casinos (The Boston Globe 6/30)

Relevant Documents:
Secretary Salazar Memo on Gaming Land Applications | Press Release: Interior Details Path Forward on Indian Gaming Policy

Related Stories:
Salazar tells BIA to continue work on gaming land applications (6/28)