A view of the land-into-trust site. Photo from Chumash EA
The Bureau of Indian Affairs approved a controversial land-into-trust application for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians in California. The tribe plans to use the 1,400-acre site for housing and other purposes. “We have simply run out of room on our reservation to build homes for our tribal membership,” Chairman Vincent Armenta said in a statement, The Santa Maria Sun reported. The BIA completed a environmental assessment that consisted of more than 2,300 pages of analysis, comments and review. Local opponents, however, wanted an even more lengthy study of the application. Officials in Santa Barbara County have already voted to appeal the decision. Get the Story:
Bureau of Indian Affairs approves fee-to-trust status for Camp 4 (The Santa Maria Sun 1/8)
Feds Approve Chumash Camp 4 Plans (The Santa Barbara Independent 12/31)
BIA approves taking Camp 4 property into federal trust (The Lompoc Record 12/31)
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