13,004 acres of Oneida Nation Land put into Trust

By By PAT BAILEY

Story Created: May 20, 2008 at 1:27 PM EST

Story Updated: May 21, 2008 at 10:41 AM EST

VERONA - The Department of the Interior had the option to put 13,086 acres of land in Madison and Oneida Counties, into federal trust.

That number was recommended to the Deputy Secretary of the Interior by the Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Although not all 13,086 went into trust, a majority of it did - 13, 004.

This is a copy of the official report that was signed Tuesday morning by both the Deputy Secretary and Associate Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

The decision comes almost three months to the day after the Bureau of Indian Affairs handed down its recommendations.

Originally, Oneida Indian Nation officials requested more than 17,000 acres of land in Oneida and Madison Counties be put into a federal trust. But back on February 22, the Bureau of Indian Affairs made the recommendation of 13,086 acres.

The ruling puts 99% of what the Bureau of Indian Affairs recommended into trust. As you can imagine, Nation officials are extremely excited, but say they are still open to negotiations with local government.

Nation CEO Ray Halbritter was informed of the decision by the Nation's attorney. The spokesperson for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs confirmed that the decision had been made.
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