Decision on Oneida land-into-trust due this week

Monday, April 28, 2008  

The Bush administration is set to make a decision on the Oneida Nation's controversial land-into-trust application.

The tribe asked for 17,000 acres in two New York counties to be placed in trust. A Bureau of Indian Affairs is final environmental impact study recommended about 13,000 acres be placed in trust.

The state of New York and Madison and Oneida counties oppose the tribe's request. At most, they say 1,000 acres should be in trust. The state also claims the tribe can't follow the land-into-trust process.

The decision will be made by associate deputy secretary Jim Cason. Assistant secretary Carl Artman is recused because he is a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, which has land claims in New York.

Get the Story:
Trust status would limit oversight (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 4/27)
The Federal approach to Indian land: 2 case studies (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 4/27)
Taxes, codes and liquor: A closer look at Nation's approaches (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 4/27)
Wisconsin experience offers insight (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 4/27)

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:
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)