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APRIL 3, 2001

The Connecticut towns of Preston, Ledyard, and North Stonington on Monday said they are ready to receive more documents about the federal recognition petitions they are fighting.

The towns have filed numerous Freedom of Information Act requests with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, seeking documents, recording, e-mails, and other information about the Eastern Pequot Tribe and the Paucatuck Eastern Tribe, who were granted preliminary recognition last March. The towns have received thousands of pages of documents, but not all of their requests have been fulfilled.

As part of a court order issued last week, a federal judge ordered the BIA to release all remaining documents to the towns within five weeks. The court order was issued in response to a lawsuit initiated by the towns and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, seeking to overturn those prelminary decisions.

The judge will oversee the remainder of the process for the tribes and wants the BIA to issue a final determination by the end of the year. The state, or the tribes, could appeal that decision, putting the status of the tribes in limbo for much longer.

Get the Story:
Three towns pleased to be getting documents on federal recognition petitions of two tribes (The New London Day 4/3)

Related Stories:
Judge to watch recognition process (4/2)