At least five lawsuits are being prepared to stop the Interior Department from acquiring 13,000 acres in trust for the Oneida Nation of New York.

Two counties, one city and one town have already hired lawyers to challenge the decision. The anti-sovereignty group, Upstate Citizens for Equality, is also ready to file a lawsuit.

The 13,000 acres are located within the tribe's original 250,000-acre reservation. The tribe lost most of the land through transactions with the state that were not approved by the federal government.

The tribe has said it is willing to negotiate with local governments to resolve future land issues, including a limit on land-into-trust acquisitions.

Get the Story:
Plans vary on land trust appeals (The Oneida Dispatch 6/6)
Vernon, Verona to sue over Oneida land trust decision (The Rome Sentinel 6/6)

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

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:
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:
2nd Circuit hears Oneida land claim appeals (6/4)
2nd Circuit to hear appeals of Oneida land claim (6/2)
Oneida employees pleased by land-into-trust ruling (5/28)
Editorial: Fight Oneida land-into-trust decision (5/26)
New York governor criticizes Oneida decision (5/23)
Lawsuits awaited over Oneida land-into-trust (5/22)
Oneida Nation wins approval of land-into-trust application (05/21)
Editorial: Regulate Oneida Nation trust lands (5/16)
Editorial: Clarity on Oneida Nation land-into-trust (5/8)
Interior delays decision on Oneida land-into-trust (5/7)
Sen. Schumer seeks delay on Oneida land-into-trust (5/6)
Editorial: Questions on Oneida Nation land-into-trust (5/1)
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)