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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2002

The following is a joint press release of the Quechan Indian Nation and California state senator John Burton.

Two dozen members of the Quechan Indian Nation will begin a 700-mile "spirit run" Friday, Sept. 20th from Sacramento to their Imperial Valley reservation to urge Governor Gray Davis to sign legislation to protect Indian sacred sites in California.

The tribal members will begin the grueling relay run on the steps of the state capitol Friday at dawn after prayers and ceremonies that reflect preparations for vision quests. Such vision quests were traditionally held by the Quechan people at a sacred site in Imperial County where a Canadian company now wants to dig a massive open pit gold mine.

SB 1828 (Burton/Chesbro), passed last month by the California state legislature, would establish state protection of such tribal sacred sites in California.

"Presently no state or federal laws specifically protect tribal sacred sites," said Senate President pro Tem John Burton, author of the bill. "This law establishes a process by which economic development interests and tribal governments can work together."

Meanwhile, a statewide poll of likely voters released today by Senator Burton shows that more than 62 percent of California voters endorse the legislation.

Likely November voters were asked if they would support a law requiring mining or other development proposals on or near an sacred Indian site to comply with all the regulations and provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act. Notable in the poll was the fact that 74 percent of voters supporting Davis' re-election were in favor of the bill.

"The public understands that this is a question of religious freedom," noted Assemblyman Bill Leonard (R-Rancho Cucamonga). "Government has taken many hostile steps against religion, and this is one step that recognizes the importance of religion -- in this case in the lives of a particular group of Americans."

The Quechan Indian Tribe has been fighting for years to protect ancient sacred sites threatened by the proposed Glamis Imperial Mine, a 21/2 square mile, cyanide heap-leach goldmine at Indian Pass, an area revered by the Quechan people and other Colorado River tribes and used for thousands of years for spiritual teaching and religious pilgrimages.

Quechan Tribal Councilman Phil Emerson, who is organizing the run, is deeply passionate about this issue.

"Our sacred sites are more precious than gold. Tribal sacred settings in many cases are centuries old and at the heart of tribal cultures and traditions," said Emerson. "Losing the ability to protect these lands would be a devastating blow to every tribe in California. By signing SB 1828 into law, Governor Davis will be ensuring that these lands will be protected for our children, grandchildren and generations to come."

The Quechan Indian Nation is a federally-recognized tribe. About 3,000 tribal members live on the 45,000-acre reservation, and many still speak their native language. The aboriginal lands include the mine site, which is on Bureau of Land Management lands not included in their reservation.

Legislative advocates emphasize that SB 1828 will create a fair process. Under the law, an agency considering permits for a development project would hire a neutral, third party investigator to assess a sacred site's status. This assessment would be under the same environmental requirements now provided for all development projects under state environmental law.

"Under this law, a tribe cannot simply claim that a site is sacred," said Morongo Band of Mission Indians tribal vice chair Luanne Martin. "There must be evidence and that evidence would be independently evaluated. According to the Native American Heritage Commission, there are not many of these sites left, and the state should take every measure to preserve these precious cultural resources." The Morongo tribe was one of fifty California Indian tribal governments supporting the measure.

Commenting on the poll, Burton said, "This bill is supported by every ideology, minority grouping, income group, voting status, age and household party type, indicating how deeply Californians feel about helping Native Americans preserve and protect their cultural heritage."

A broad coalition of labor, environmental and cultural groups support the legislation now on Governor Davis' desk for signature, including the Sierra Club California, the Trust for Public Land, California League of Conservation Voters, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the California Preservation Foundation, the San Diego County Water Agency, and the Environmental Science Institute.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS CONTACT: Phil Emerson (Cell 928-920-0619) or Alison Harvey (916-445-1412)

INDEPENDENT GROUPS SUPPORTING BILL
ADRO Environmental Inc.
Alliance of California Tribes
Association of American Indian Affairs
Butte Environmental Council
California Catholic Conference
California Indian Basketweavers Association
California League of Conservation Voters
California Nations Indian Gaming Association
California Preservation Foundation
California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc.
Community Water Rights Project
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
Environmental Science Institute
Friends of the River
Latino Issues Form
Mariposa, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne Health Board Inc.
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Natural Resources Defense Council
Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, & Security
Sacred Land Film Project of Earth Island Institute
San Diego BayKeepers
San Diego County Water Agency
Sierra Club California
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
SLO Coast Alliance
The Oaks Farms -- Joan Irvine Smith
Trust for Public Land
Tsurai Ancestral Council
United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO
Urban Creeks Council of California
TRIBES SUPPORTING THE BILL
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Auburn Rancheria
Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley
Big Sandy Rancheria
Bishop Tribal Council
Blue Lake Rancheria
Bridgeport Indian Reservation
Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
Cahto Tribe of Laytonville Rancheria
Campo Band of Mission Indians
Cedarville Rancheria
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
Concow Maidu Tribe
Cortina Rancheria
Coyote Valley Tribal Council
Cuyapaipe Band of Mission Indians
Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indian Tribe
Greenville Rancheria
Jackson Rancheria
Karuk Tribe of California
Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay Nation
Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians
Middletown Rancheria Band of Pomo and Lake Miwok Indians
Mooretown Rancheria
Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Nor-Rel-Muk Nation
Noyo River Indian Community
Pajaro Valley Ohlone Indian Council
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
Potter Valley Tribe
Quechan Indian Nation of Fort Yuma
Ramona Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians
Redding Rancheria
Resignini Rancheria
Robinson Rancheria Band Pomo Indians Tribe
Rumsey Indian Rancheria
San Luis Obispo County Chumash Council
San Manuel Band of Serrano Missions Indians
Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Tribe
Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians
Sherwood Valley Rancheria
Smith River Rancheria
Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians
Susanville Indian Rancheria Tribe
Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Table Bluff Reservation -- Wiyot Tribe
Timbisha Shoshone Tribe
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California