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MONDAY, JULY 23, 2001

In a surprise to local leaders, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut on Friday put forth a proposal offering to limit the amount of trust land the tribe wants.

Currently in a dispute with Ledyard, North Stonington and Preston, the tribe told the three towns it would not ask the federal government to take more than 880 acres of land into trust for the next 35 years. The towns would receive tax money in lieu of the land and would approve developments under the proposal.

Town leaders praised the proposal as a first step. Along with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, they sued the federal government to stop 165 acres of land from being taken into trust but have been rebuffed by the courts so far.

In an editorial, The New London Day say the tribes and the towns should be credited with making progress ever since freshman Congressman Rob Simmons (R-Conn.) brought them to together on the issue just a couple of months ago. The paper says the parties, along with Simmons, should continue to seek a solution together.

In a separate editorial, the paper's managing editor says the tribe and the towns should stop negotiating and put the issue to voters. Lance Johnson also says that the tribe is being boxed in to make an offer and that nationaly, Indian issues aren't looking too promising.

Get the Story:
Tribe Offers To Limit Trust Land Request (The New London Day 7/21)
Editorial: An honest effort at compromise (The New London Day 7/21)
Editorial: Openness could help close wounds between tribe, towns (Lance C. Johnson. The New London Day 7/22)

Relevant Links:
Attorney General, Connecticut - http://www.cslib.org/attygenl
Rep. Rob Simmons - http://www.house.gov/simmons

Relevant Court Decisions:
Connecticut v. Babbitt No. 99-6042. (2nd Cir September 25, 2000)

Related Stories:
Pequot Tribe proposes third meeting with foes (7/10)
Judge approves land-into-trust lawsuit delay (7/2)
Towns steadfast on opposing trust land (6/26)
Conn. town reconsidering Pequot views (6/22)
Pequot meeting called productive (6/20)
Towns not satisfied with Pequot offer (6/19)
Pequot tribe, foes to meet again (6/18)
Next Pequot meeting date set (6/5)
Pequot Tribe, foes to meet (6/1)
Second Pequot meeting date not yet set (5/30)
DOJ to watch Pequot land talks (5/24)
Pequot paper runs special edition (5/23)
Pequot Tribe proposes June meeting (5/16)
Anti-Pequot towns have hope in case (5/8)
EDITORIAL: Tribe, towns continue talking (5/4)
Towns: Pequot Tribe too rich (5/3)
EDITORIAL: Pequot tribe too affluent (5/2)
Supreme Court turns down Pequot land case (5/1)
White Man, Indian exchange gifts (4/17)