CA, No. CA, San Francisco
July 28 2008
SANTA ROSA, CA - The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria have agreed not to
pursue a second casino in Sonoma or Marin counties. The board of supervisors in
both counties voted this week to approve the agreement which includes the
following terms:
• The tribe will proceed with its efforts to build a casino and hotel outside
Rohnert Park on land placed into federal trust last May.
• Sonoma County keeps its right to challenge other steps in the tribe's path to
develop the casino, including the environmental approval by the National Indian
Gaming Commission.
• Future commercial developments on tribal land must comply with zoning codes
and the county's general plan land use.
• Future commercial development projects will undergo an environmental review.
The proposed casino hotel is excluded.
Last May the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) bypassed a public review of the
environmental impact study and accepted the tribe's 254 acres near Rohnert Park
into federal trust. The BIA said their decision was mandatory because the Graton
Rancheria Restoration Act of 2000 states that the Secretary of the Interior
"shall accept into trust any real property in Sonoma or Marin counties upon
application of the tribe".
"If followed in future cases, the Bureau's interpretation would allow the Tribe
to purchase, take into trust and develop an unlimited number of Sonoma County
parcels without any public or environmental review," said the Sonoma County
Administrator's and Counsel's offices.
Therefore, in May the counties decided to negotiate an agreement with the tribe
rather than fight the issue in federal court.
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