Artist's rendering of the Cedars at Bear Creek in Medford, Oregon. Image from Coquille EIS
The city of Medford, Oregon, is questioning the Bureau of Indian Affairs over the contractor hired to study the casino proposed by the Coquille Tribe. The BIA has yet to release the draft environmental impact statement for the Cedars at Bear Creek, a Class II facility. But the city claims Analytical Environmental Services has a conflict of interest because the tribe used to be a client of the company. “Indeed, AES has been alleged to have a ‘revolving door’ with BIA, where employees of BIA and AES have switched jobs and has a history of conflict-of-interest complaints,” the city said in a letter that was quoted by The Medford Mail Tribune. AES specializes in environmental consulting, planning, and engineering services. The California-based firm has helped prepare dozens of reports for federal agencies, tribes and businesses. Get the Story:
Medford cites 'conflict of interest' in study on Coquilles' proposed casino (The Medford Mail Tribune 3/13) Federal Register Notice:
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon (January 15, 2015)
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