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Off Reservation on SF Bay
Planned casino in N. Richmond nears hurdle3/29/2008, Mercury News After four years of fighting, a decision appears close for an Indian tribe shooting to make unincorporated North Richmond home to the urban Bay Area's first Las Vegas-style casino. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs on Friday announced plans to file a final environmental impact statement on the controversial proposal by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians -- a key step before a decision on the casino plan. The 219-member tribe aims to build a 225,000-square-foot casino complex and five-tier parking structure on the 30 acres that its investors bought at Richmond Parkway and Parr Boulevard. If the feds approve, the governor must negotiate in good faith with Scotts Valley on a gaming compact.
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians' Proposed 29.87 Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Gaming Development Project, Contra Costa County, CA3/28/2008, Federal Register SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), in cooperation with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians (Tribe), National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), Contra Costa County, and California Department of Transportation, intends to file a final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the proposed approval of a 29.87 acre fee-to-trust transfer and gaming development project in Contra Costa County, California, and that the FEIS is now available to the public. In addition to the trust acquisition for gaming purposes, the proposed action includes approval by the NIGC of a gaming management contract. The FEIS is part of the administrative process that evaluates tribal applications that seek to have the United States take land into trust pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 465 and 25 CFR part 151.
MORE OFF RESERVATION:
Our Opinion: Calexico should get bigger cut3/29/2008, Imperial Valley Press The prospect of about 2,400 new jobs would be welcomed about anyplace, and that is especially true of the Imperial Valley. With an unemployment rate of more than 15 percent, our region badly needs the jobs. But when those jobs come courtesy of a casino, there is bound to be controversy. That is surely the case with the proposed Indian-owned casino in Calexico. There are many opponents to casino and other types of gambling, including many in the Imperial Valley. We understand their concerns, but this is a legal activity and it would bring those much needed jobs to our community. People with jobs spend money locally, and the people who would be attracted to the casino - those traveling through, winter visitors, locals and people from Mexicali - would be spending their money in the local economy as well. As for the proposed Calexico casino, we are also glad to see that it would be built using the Viejas casino complex in Alpine as a model. That is an attractive and functional development. There are things to consider with this proposal, of course, including the money Calexico would receive from the Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, which would build the casino. The city and the tribe have agreed to an annual $2 million payment to the city as part of the deal. We believe that number could, and should, be higher. And as the casino makes more money, the amount going to the city and other entities in the county should increase as well.
Porterville Casino Could be Moving; Not Everyone Happy3/28/2008, KMPH.COM The only frequent visitors to a 40-acre plot of land in western Porterville right now are the bees. But soon that all may change. "The idea here is to create a whole bunch of jobs to keep people here," said Rodney Martin from the Tule River Tribe. Tule River Tribe officials like Martin say they want to move the Eagle Mountain Casino 13 miles west to the Valley floor. "You don't see a whole lot going on right here, that will change," Martin said. Along with the casino, are plans for a 200-room hotel. Tribe officials say the entire project is expected to bring more than one-thousand jobs to the Porterville area. The prospect of new jobs and possible economic development in western Porterville is very appealing to Mayor Cameron Hamilton.
Internet Poker:
Congressional UIGEA Hearing Confirmed for April 2nd
3/29/2008, Pokernews.com
An important and long-delayed Congressional hearing regarding implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act (UIGEA) has now been confirmed for April 2, 2008. The hearing will be conducted by the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology and will be chaired by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL). The 10:00 am hearing in Congress's Rayburn House Office Building will be entitled "Proposed UIGEA Regulations: Burden without Benefit?" and will offer one of the first true Congressional examinations of the 2006 UIGEA, which was attached to unrelated, "must pass" port-security legislation by Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) in a maneuver that left the UIGEA unread by many Congressmen before it was passed into law. The hearing will examine the viability of the UIGEA, which has been termed unworkable by many affected parties, including America's powerful banking industry. | |
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Upcoming Hearings
Public Comment deadline: Expansion of facility - Draft Environmental Impact Report presented by United Auburn Indian Community. Written comments will be accepted through April 10, 2008.
Public Comment deadline: Off Reservation Proposal - Manzanita Band in the City of Calexico. Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through April 7, 2008.
Public Scoping Hearing: Off Reservation Proposal - April 9, 2008, 6 p.m., Elks Lodge in Marysville, 920 D. Street. The hearing is for public input related to the enterpise Rancheria proposed fee to trust land acquistion of 40 acres and the subsequent development of an off reservation casino resort complex in Yuba County.
Public Comment Deadline: Off Reservation Proposal,
Comments on the Final EIS for the Scotts Valley Casino in the City of Richmond. Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through April 28, 2008.
Upcoming Conference
North American Regulators Association June 10-13, 2008 www.nagra.org Register on Line.
LINKS and Legislation
Stand Up For California - Library
Stand Up For California - Helpful Links
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State Legislation to Watch
AJR 39 - Assembly Member Huffman
Reaffirmation of the Winneman Wintu.
AB 1314 -Assembly Member Strikland
BINGOAn Act to amend section 326.5 of the California Penal Code.
AB 1924 - Assembly Member Jeffries Changes the amount of charitable BINGO funds that may be used for overhead and other operational expenses.
AB 2026 - Assembly Member Levine -
The California Gambling Control in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall perform a study and report its findings to the legislature by June 30, 2009, regarding authorizing interstate Internet Poker.
AB 62 - Sen. Florez - Permits the transfer of funds from the General Fund to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for eligible recipient tribes should there be insufficient funds in the Special Distribution Fund.
SB 331 -Sen. Romero - Imposes a state mandated local program to address tresspassers on tribal lands
SB 996 Sen. Florez - This bill would require each tribal state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and a federally recognized Indian Tribe to be ratified by the Legislature in Separate Statute.
SB 1201 - Sen. Battin Increases the aggregate limit of gaming devices licenses available for issuance under the 1999 compacts to 122,000 slot machines without tribal state compact renegotiations.
SB 1328 - Sen. Cedillo - deletes the $250 limitation on bingo game payouts, thereby allows for an award of any denomination. (currently limit $250.00 per pot)
SB - 1570 - Sen. Vincent - Requires the Governor to use best efforts to enusre that satellite wagering on horese racing is one of the forms of gaming offered at any gambling facility authorized under a compact.
SB 1626 - Sen. Steinberg - Regulates the game of BINGO.
SB 1679 - Sen. Florez - Lottery Reform Bill: requires that not less than 87% of revenues be used for prizes and to benefit education, 13% for lottery expenses. Total revenue to education will be decided by the Commission but not less than 1,200,000,000. Requires 1 million to be committed to the Office of Problem and Pathological gambling. Defines, expands and loosens restrictions of lottery game themes.
SB 1695 - Sen. Florez - This bill limits the locations of tribal casinos. Does it limit the political power of local elected?
SCA 20 -Sen. Vincent - Constitutional Amendment authorizes Roulette and Craps on California Indian lands for compact tribes.
Federal Legislation to Watch
H.R. 5608 Congressman Rahall - mandates that adminstration directly consults with tribes on policies that directly affect their lives.
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Last sessions legislation rumored to have legs.
H. R. 3709To authorize inter-tribal transfers of authority in leases between the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay, and for other purposes. (Introduced in House October 1, 2007)
S. 1347 - Sentaor Feinstein: A bill to amend the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act to modify the
date as of which certain tribal land of the Lytton Rancheria of California is deemed to be held in trust and to provide for the conduct of certain activities on the land. Passed the Senate 11-6-07 and sent to the House.
Rule Making
http://thomas.loc.gov/
Guidance on taking off reservation land into trust for gaming purposes
Jan 3, 2008, Carl Artman, Asst. Secretary of the Interior, BIA
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