Editorial: Limit Oneida land-into-trust request

Tuesday, February 26, 2008  

"There was never any question that the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs was going to recommend putting land-into-trust for the Oneida Indian Nation, an action that would officially remove properties from the tax rolls.

But it was disappointing to see the amount of Oneida land that the BIA feels should be given sovereign status. In a report issued last week, the BIA recommends placing more than 13,000 Oneida Indian Nation acres into trust.

That's pretty close to the 17,000 acres the Oneidas had sought in their application, and far more than the roughly 1,000 acres local municipalities had argued would be a fair resolution.

We certainly hope the federal Department of Interior, which makes the final determination on this matter, comes down from that 13,000-acre figure considerably.

As much as the BIA claims in its report that its plan is a compromise, the two key bottom line concerns of municipalities are largely overlooked."

Get the Story:
Our View: Land-into-trust proposal not a compromise not fair (The Auburn Citizen 2/25)

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)

Relevant Documents:
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:
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:
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)
2nd Circuit hears Oneida Nation foreclosure case (11/07)
2nd Circuit to hear Oneida Nation foreclosure case (11/5)
Oneida Nation can't drop taxation lawsuits (8/14)
New York urged to collect taxes on Oneida Nation (8/3)
Wisconsin tribe opposes Oneida Nation trust land (06/21)
Land-into-trust next big move for Oneida Nation (6/15)
New York to appeal Oneida land claim decision (6/7)
Judge dismisses New York land-into-trust lawsuit (6/6)
Views: Oneida Nation, treaties and land claims (5/30)
Editorial: Collaboration needed on Oneida land claim (5/30)
Oneida Nation said to owe $248M in taxes (5/25)
Door still open for Oneidas on land claim (5/22)
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DOJ seeks dismissal of New York land-into-trust suit (04/26)
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