A settlement was reportedly drafted in the state of New York's suit against the Oneida Nation land-into-trust application.

The settlement would have allowed up to 30,000 acres to be placed in trust, according to a draft obtained by The Albany Times-Union. The deal also would have addressed tobacco taxation on tribal land, an issue that is not part of the litigation.

Gov. David Paterson (D) declined to answer questions about the draft, the paper said. But a tribal spokesperson said it was obsolete anyway.

After losing a U.S. Supreme Court case in 2003, the tribe filed a land-into-trust application for about 17,000 acres in two counties. The Bureau of Indian Affairs agreed to acquire about 13,000 acres in trust.

The state's lawsuit raises numerous challenges to the acquisition although some claims were dismissed in March.

Get the Story:
Tribal draft deal sparks outrage (The Albany Times-Union 6/22)

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