Editorial: Questions on Oneida Nation land-into-trust

Thursday, May 1, 2008  

"The Oneida Indian Nation land-into-trust decision is expected anytime, and little has been done by our federal representatives to outline exactly what regulations, if any, the Oneidas will have to abide by.

When the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs released the Nation’s land-into-trust environmental impact study Feb. 22, its preferred option was to place about 13,000 acres of Nation land into trust. Along with that report came many questions regarding the Oneidas land and tax status. It’s been more than two months and still very few of those questions have been answered.

Our elected federal officials — U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, and U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. — must act now. Oneida, Madison and other surrounding counties need to know exactly what will happen to the land in terms of back taxes and what types of federal regulations would go into effect regarding alcohol, infrastructure and even law enforcement.

Explanation of this nature is long overdue."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Answers needed on land trust (The Oneida Observer-Dispatch 5/1)

Another Story:
Oneidas' land trust decision slips to May (The Oneida Dispatch 4/30)

Relevant Documents:
Final EIS (March 2008) | Draft EIS (November 2006)

Federal Register Notice:
Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Transfer From Fee to Trust of Parcels Owned by the Oneida Indian Nation of New York in Oneida and Madison Counties, New York (February 22, 2008)

From the Indianz.Com Archive:
BIA official calls high court ruling 'quite depressing' (March 31, 2005)
Major defeat for Oneida Nation in Supreme Court case (March 30, 2005)

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation Trust - http://www.oneidanationtrust.com
Oneida Nation, New York - http://www.oneida-nation.net
Indian Nation Fee-to-Trust Land Acquisition Applications in New York State - http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/888.html
Oneida Indian Nation's Land Into Trust Application, Madison County - http://www.madisoncounty.org/motf/OINTrustMain.html

Sherrill v. Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

Related Stories:
Decision on Oneida land-into-trust due this week (4/28)
Wisconsin tribe objects to Oneida land-into-trust (4/25)
Rep. Acuri: Explaining Oneida land-into-trust rider (4/10)
Rep. Arcuri tried to block Oneida land-into-trust (4/9)
Cason 'elusive' on Oneida Nation decision (4/4)
BIA still reviewing Oneida Nation land-into-trust (3/31)
Oneida Nation, county meet for first time in years (3/28)
Oneida Nation asks BIA for all 17,000 acres in trust (3/25)
County discusses Oneida Nation land-into-trust (03/07)
Cason to follow through on Oneida land-into-trust (2/25)
BIA to rule on Oneida trust lands request (2/22)
Cason to brief counties on Oneida land-into-trust (2/22)