County seeks delay in potential land transfer to Chumash Tribe

Wednesday, November 14, 2012  

The board of supervisors in Ventura County, California, is trying to delay the potential transfer of federal land to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The land is located at a former nuclear test site. The county is worried that it will be transferred to the tribe without a firm cleanup plan.

"We will work with them on remediation," responded Sam Cohen, the tribe's , government affairs and legal officer, The Ventura County Star reported.

The land is home to the Burro Flats Painted Cave, a sacred site with paintings and pictographs that date back at least 1,000 years. The tribe is asking the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place it in restricted fee status.

Get the Story:
Supervisors fight to delay Chumash's land acquisition (The Ventura County Star 11/14)

Related Stories:
Chumash Tribe trying to acquire federal site with sacred cave (10/30)
Chumash Tribe looking to avoid land-into-trust process at site (10/16)