Chairwoman Kathryn Montes Morgan of the Tejon
Tribe, second from right, and other tribal leaders met with officials from the Indian Health Service in October 2015. Photo by IHS
The recently recognized Tejon
Tribe is still pursuing a casino in California but there's been little movement on the project in more than a year.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs announced the preparation of an environmental impact statement for the 306-acre site in Kern County in August 2015.
A scoping meeting was held a month later in anticipation of a draft being released in the winter or spring of 2016.
But that deadline has come and gone as the tribe pursues a second land-into-trust application. Plans call for a headquarters at a different and much-smaller site in the county.
“It is the first step in rebuilding our tribe culturally and spiritually," Chairwoman Kathryn Montes Morgan told Bakersfield.com.
The tribe is seeking a memorandum of understanding with the county but a vote on the agreement was delayed last week amid concerns about gaming, according to news reports. The headquarters site -- located at a former school that Chairwoman Morgan and other members once attended -- is about 7 miles from the proposed casino site.
The BIA placed the tribe back on the list
of federally recognized entities in January 2012.
Read More on the Story:
Casino fears complicate tribe's bid for home
(Bakersfield.com 10/15)
Tejon Tribe buys old school building for first place to call home in 150 years
(KBAK 10/10)
Federal Register Notice:
Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Tejon Indian
Tribe's Proposed Trust Acquisition and Casino Project, Kern County,
California (August 13, 2015)
Related Stories:
Tejon
Tribe anticipates lengthy process for casino in California (09/09)
Recently
recognized Tejon Tribe moves ahead with casino plan (08/13)
BIA adopts new policy
regarding federal recognition process (06/30)
Tejon
Tribe plans to negotiate agreement with county for casino (06/03)
Recently recognized Tejon
Tribe to close enrollment next month (08/22)
Tejon
Tribe working with Nevada developer on plans for casino (06/27)
Tejon Tribe announces plans for casino at
undisclosed location (6/26)
IHS approves service areas
for three newly recognized tribes (09/11)
DOI backs Larry Echo Hawk's
decision to recognize Tejon Tribe (05/02)
OIG report blasts Larry Echo Hawk for handling of
Tejon case (5/1)
Inspector General
Reports: Larry Echo Hawk, Jeanette Hanna (4/30)
Editorial:
Casino a possiblity for newly recognized Tejon Tribe (01/09)
Tejon Indian Tribe to start
preparing for future as newest tribe (1/4)
BIA places Tejon Indian Tribe back on list of
recognized tribes (1/3)