Groups sue BIA over off-reservation casino

Wednesday, February 14, 2007  

$stalker Opponents of an off-reservation casino in New York sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs over alleged deficiencies in the environmental review of the project.

The BIA approved the casino for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. The agency said the $500 project in the Catskills, more than 300 miles from the reservation, would have no significant impact on the environment.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sullivan County Farm Bureau, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development and Orange Environment Inc. say the finding wasn't enough. They want a full environmental impact statement for the casino.

The tribe's land-into-trust application is being handled under the two-part determination process of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Under the law, New York Gov. Eliotz Spitzer (D) has final say over the casino. He is expected to announce his decision in the coming days.

Get the Story:
Federal lawsuit filed against Monticello casino (The Middletown Times Herald-Record 2/14)
Catskill casino hits new obstacle (The Albany Times-Union 2/14)