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FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2002

Secretary of Interior Gale Norton and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Tribe of California signed documents to mark a $14.2 million settlement approved by former President Bill Clinton.

The settlement compensates the tribe for 11,000 acres of flooded land. The Departments of Interior and Justice contributed money as did two irrigation districts.

The bill signed into law authorizes the Secretary to take up to 11,800 acres of land into trust for the tribe. Some of the land will be located in an urban area for a casino development.

Get the Story:
Tribe Impoverished by Salton Sea Gets Windfall (The Los Angeles Times 3/29)
Tribe moves closer to prosperity (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 3/29)
Poor Inland tribe gets payment for lost land (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 3/29)
U.S. OKs $14.2M Indian Settlement (AP 3/28)
Southern California Water Rights Settlement Opens Way for Tribal Economic Development (DOI 3/28)

Related Stories:
Reservation power plant on hold (1/17)
Calif. tribe worried about deal (12/13)
Interior spending bill approved despite anthrax (10/18)
Interior bill funds Cahuilla settlement (10/18)
Tribe weighs cost of settlement (8/1)
Tribe waiting on casino plans (5/21)
Calif. tribe may sue for compact (5/14)
Tribe's gaming partner seeking friends (5/11)
Clinton signs a final Indian bill (12/29)
Senate OKs Torres-Martinez settlement (12/12)
Tribes discuss land purchases (11/17)
Torres-Martinez bill awaits vote (11/7)