The
Washoe Tribe is once again asking Congress for help with recovering ancestral homelands in Nevada.
The tribe previously sought inclusion in a forthcoming bill that's being called the
Washoe County Economic Development and Conservation Act.
The goal is to transfer lands from the federal government to local entities in Washoe County.
But a dispute arose when the tribe and another entity claimed the same parcel near Lake Tahoe, The Reno Gazette-Journal reported. As a result, the parcel has been excluded from the bill, the paper said.
The tribe isn't walking away though. Chairman Neil Mortimer told the paper that the south Reno arena is of interest.
"That would be great to be able to have our members back in that area," Mortimer told the paper.
Land transfer bills have gained popularity in recent years, with Republicans
often taking the lead to take land out of federal management and transfer it to
tribes, states and local governments. In 2016, more than 70,000 acres was placed
in trust for six tribes as part of the
Nevada Nations Land Act.
But more recent forays have not always included tribal interests. The
Yerington Paiute Tribe and the
Walker River Paiute Tribe say they have been left out of
H.R.5347,
the Lyon County Economic Development and Environmental Remediation Act.
The bill would transfer 2,000 acres of polluted property from the federal government to a private corporation. The Yerington Paiute Tribe already expressed interest in the same parcel.
Read More on the Story
After missing out on Tahoe land, Washoe tribe eyeing south Reno
(The Reno Gazette-Journal September 4, 2018)
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