The Bureau of Indian Affairs is again come under fire for its land-into-trust checklist, this time in New Mexico where an off-reservation casino is under review.

The New Mexico Coalition Against Gambling says the checklist limits consultation to communities within 10 miles of the proposed casino. "It's terrible," Guy Clark tells The Albuquerque Journal.

But BIA officials say the checklist doesn't change their duty to consult with tribes and local and state governments affected by a trust land acquisition for gaming. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 requires a higher level of input from affected communities.

The BIA in New Mexico is currently considering a request by Jemez Pueblo in the northern part of the state to acquire land hundreds of miles away in the southern part of the state.

Get the Story:
Casino Input Next 10 Miles (The Albuquerque Journal 6/1)

Relevant Links:
NIGC Indian Land Determinations - http://www.nigc.gov/nigc/nigcControl?option=LAND_DETERMINATIONS
Land into Trust, National Congress of American Indians - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/issues/
governance/land_into_trust.asp

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