U.S. Transfers 9 Acres to Tribal Rancheria
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The nine-acre Casino San Pablo property was transferred into trust for the Lytton Rancheria of California by the federal Department of the Interior on Friday.
“Members of the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians are elated with the secretary of the Interior’s approval,” tribal Chairwoman Margie Mejia said. “For more than four years, we have worked closely and patiently with the city of San Pablo to secure land that would meet the economic needs of our members and to mitigate any impacts of our proposed development.”
An attorney representing plaintiffs expressed her disappointment with the government’s action and said they will keep seeking to halt the transfer with two pending lawsuits.
The lawsuits contend the Bureau of Indian Affairs listed the Lyttons as a tribe without authorization and “that Congress cannot take land in the middle of urban areas out of state jurisdiction and turn them into Indian lands,” attorney Alan Titus said.
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