After waiting for more than a decade, the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon finally received federal approval for its proposed Medford casino project. While the Tribe recognized this as a major victory for its proposed project in Jackson County, opponents disagreed.
Medford Casino Project Opponents Turn To Court
Earlier this month, the US Department of Interior (DOI) greenlighted a Record of Decision (ROD), clearing a major legal obstacle in the Coquille Tribe’s casino project that required taking land into trust. This was necessary as the Tribe needed to take the land it purchased into trust in order to build its proposed casino.
However, other Native American Tribes disagreed with the DOI’s decision, arguing that the Coquille Tribe was allowed to claim lands outside of their ancestral territory. That is the view of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and the Karuk Tribe, which according to a KTVL10 report have turned to court with a request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).
Seeking to block the Coquille Tribe from proceeding with the development of the casino, the tribes argued that DOI’s decision was in violation of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The tribes also claimed that granting the Coquille Tribe approval for their proposed project in Medford raises concerns under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and violates the Coquille Restoration Act (CRA).
Opponents Argue the Coquille Tribe’s Casino Project Would Affect Their Sovereignty
Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation’s chairperson, Jeri Lynn Thompson, explained: “The DOI issuance of the FEIS and ROD concerning the Coquille Medford gaming project, without adequately considering alternative sites and the overall non-economic impacts on the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and other impacted Tribes, will significantly disrupt our cultural heritage and identity.”
Read more at
https://www.gamblingnews.com/news/coquille-tribe-casino-approval-sparks-legal-battle-with-opponents/
