RESOURCE
CENTER
1.
HOUSATONIC COALITION'S
ANTI-CASINO ACTIVITIES
12/8/2000—
URGE MORATORIUM ON RECOGNITION.
The HVCEO issues a statement that "Innocent homeowners
in New Milford, Sherman and Kent may be adversely impacted
by federal recognition of a tribe. We urge a moratorium on
the federal process until a new procedure is created to safeguard
essential rights."
11/16/2001
— CASINO ANYWHERE IN REGION OPPOSED.
On this date HVCEO voted to oppose all casino development
in the Region; "If a casino is sited anywhere in the
Region there would be large negative impacts on traffic capacity
and upon quality of life."
1/18/2002
— HOUSTONIC COALITION FORMS.
HVCEO joins Danbury and four of its members (those closest
to Danbury and I-84: Bethel, New Fairfield, Newtown and Ridgefield)
to fund assistance from Perkins Coie, a specialized law firm
in Washington, D.C.
1/18/2002
— INTERESTED PARTY STATUS.
Housatonic Coalition applies for "Interested Party"
status for all aspects of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
tribal recognition process.
2/25/2002
— OPPOSITION By AREA LEGISLATORS.
This takes the form of a joint
letter to the Governor signed by four senators
and nine representatives.
3/15/2002
— TESTIMONY TO BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Coalition forwards testimony to BIA defining flaws in draft
regulations for allowing gaming to occur on off-reservation
trust lands. Also, deficiencies are documented to BIA concerning
the existing regulations for trust land acquisition.
4/16/2002
— DOCUMENTATION OF FLAWS IN TRIBAL PETITION.
Coalition submits testimony to BIA documenting that historical
record of tribe is deficient for recognition. Brookfield,
CT joins the anti-casino coalition on 4/19/2002.
6/21/2002
— OVERVIEW STATEMENT SUMMARIZING ISSUES.
This is in the form of a detailed
letter from the HVCEO chairman to the Department
of the Interior and the BIA, available on the HVCEO web site.
10/2002—
TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY RELEASED.
HVCEO releases a traffic study documenting
traffic impacts of a possible casino, a summary
of which is available on the HVCEO web site. This traffic
report can be an exhibit during possible trust land determination.
A
key conclusion is that "A casino at the former Union
Carbide site in Danbury would have significant impacts on
the I-84 portal to the state and would negatively impact much
of the State of Connecticut."
This study was funded jointly by HVCEO, the Greater Danbury
Chamber of Commerce, the Housatonic Valley Economic Development
Partnership and the Housatonic Valley Tourism Commission.
10/18/2002
— REPEAL OF "LAS VEGAS NIGHT" STATUTE.
This repeal was urged upon legislators as the statute authorized
gaming in the state. Many interests statewide joined in this
lobbying and the effort was successful. According to the federal
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act "gaming is lawful on federally
recognized Indian reservations only if located in a state
that permits such gaming."
12/5/2002
— PRELIMINARY DECISION.
Schaghticoke's denied recognition in preliminary ruling by
the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
8/8/2003—
COMMENT ON PRELIMINARY DECISION.
Housatonic Coalition files statement in support of preliminary
decision denying recognition, citing various inadequacies.
11/14/2003—
LETTER TO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
The Housatonic Coalition joins with other groups in documenting
the many ways in which the tribal acknowledgment process is
in need of reform.
1/29/2004—
"FINAL DETERMINATION."
Schaghticoke's given recognition in final ruling by
the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
5/3/2004—
APPEAL OF BIA RECOGNITION.
The Housatonic Coalition, led by Danbury, joined other parties
and the State of Connecticut in a coordinated appeal of the
tribal recognition. A 197 page brief to the Interior Board
of Indian Appeals documented gross distortions and manipulation
of evidence.
2/18/2004—
COUNCIL JOINS THE WESTERN CT
COALITION REGARDING FEDERAL RECOGNITION.
T he
Western Connecticut Coalition is composed of three planning
regions (Housatonic Valley Council, Litchfield Hills and Northwestern
Connecticut) representing a total of thirty municipalities
in the north and west part of the state, including the cites
of Danbury and Torrington.
The purpose of the coalition is to present a unified position
against 1) recognition by the Office of Federal Acknowledgment
(OFA) of unmerited entities as legitimate tribes and 2) the
expansion of gambling in the State by locating a casino in
Western Connecticut.
5/12/2005—
BOARD OF INDIAN
APPEALS DENIES RECOGNITION.
The Board of Indian Appeals "vacates and remands the
Final Determination."
10/12/2005—
BUREAU OF INDIAN
AFFAIRS DENIES RECOGNITION.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs "has determined that the
Schaghticoke Tribal Nation does not satisfy all seven criteria
for acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe in 25 CFR 83.7."
