An energy company is asking a federal judge to stop the Ute Tribe of Utah from proceeding with a banishment.

QEP Field Services, a subsidiary of Questar Corporation, operates five plants on the reservation. A dispute over the construction of a new natural gas processing plant has the the tribe angry about the company's treatment of its sovereignty.

As a result, Chairman Curtis Cesspooch initiated a banishment proceeding against the company. But QEP says the tribal court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.

"The tribal court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over this dispute because the tribe had expressly agreed to the jurisdiction of federal courts, state courts and private arbitration to resolve disputes," the company said in federal court, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Get the Story:
Denver-based firm files against Ute Tribe (The Salt Lake Tribune 7/29)

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