(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Interior Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb today announced his approval of the United Auburn Indian Community of California’s application to acquire 49.21 acres of land into trust in Placer County, Calif., for the purpose of constructing and operating a Class III gaming facility. The Tribe has agreed to financial and other conditions that support state and county operations affected by the proposed casino, including the preservation of natural and scenic qualities of county lands.
“I applaud the United Auburn Indian Community’s determination and commitment to working with Placer County and the State of California as it seeks economic self-sufficiency,” said McCaleb. “By using consultation, cooperation, communication all in the service of conservation – Secretary Norton’s four C’s – their success is a win-win for tribal self-determination.”
The United Auburn Indian Community is descended from the Auburn Rancheria, which was legislatively terminated in 1958 pursuant to the California Rancheria Act (P. L. 85-671). As a result, the Tribe lost 40 acres in Placer County, its only land base. On October 31, 1994, Congress enacted the Auburn Indian Restoration Act (P. L. 103-434, 25 USC 1300) that restored the Tribe’s federal recognition status. The Restoration Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept real property located in Placer County for the benefit of the landless Tribe.
Under its tribal-state gaming compact, the United Auburn Indian Community agrees to contribute to the state’s Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and the California Council on Problem Gambling. In addition, the Tribe entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the county to pay for fire, emergency and law enforcement personnel and services, to compensate for taking the acquired property off the county’s tax rolls, to employ county welfare-to-work participants, and to make other payments to the county.
Also under the MOU, the Tribe agrees to comply with the county’s applicable general and community plans, zoning ordinances and design guidelines, and to county review for compliance and consistency with the California Environmental Quality Act. The MOU also describes local law enforcement scope with respect to criminal law consistent with Public Law 83-280.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs sought and received comments from state, county and local officials, as well as from the public. An environmental assessment was conducted on the proposed property to be acquired in trust and on the Tribe’s plan to build an onsite wastewater treatment plant that resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact issued by the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs on January 19, 2001.
The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a 177-year-old federal agency with approximately 10,000 employees nationwide that provides services to, carries out its federal trust responsibilities for, and promotes the self-determination of the 559 federally recognized tribal governments and approximately 1.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Under his purview are a 185-school system, one of only two federally administered school systems in the country; 29 tribally controlled colleges; law enforcement and detention programs and facilities; social service, firefighting, tribal economic development and Indian child welfare programs; trust resource management programs, including management of tribal and individual Indian trust assets; and the federal acknowledgement process.
