BY: SHANNON BURNS

INDIAN TIME - Vol. 24 #08 - Ennisko:wa / March 2, 2006 Edition - Page 1 & 6

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has seen their land claim settlement agreement take one more blow. On Monday evening, St. Lawrence County officials voted to withdraw their support of the claim.

The lawmakers based their decision partly on their exclusion from original talks between the State and Akwesasne leaders when the agreement was being drafted.

According to Brendan White, the Tribe's Public Information Director, Chief James Ransom spoke with a St. Lawrence County official recently.

"Chief Ransom called Tom Nichols, St. Lawrence County Chairman, prior to the legislature voting on withdrawing and he didn't have any concerns," White said. "If there were issues with the land claim settlement it would have been an opportune time to raise them."

Also contributing to the decision was the overall tone of land claims in New York State following the Supreme Court Ruling last year in Sherrill v. Oneida and a decision against the Cayugas shortly after. Both decisions based their Rulings on the issue of the amount of time that lapsed before the Indian Nations attempted to reclaim their lands.

The Department of Justice recently suggested that the cases be looked at again and the Rulings could be overturned.

Officials in the town of Brasher and Fort Covington also withdrew their support of the settlement agreement during the past year. The agreement was close to finalization last Spring before Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno blocked the Bill it was attached to from moving forward.

The Bill has since been thrown out and Tribal officials, as well as Gov. Pataki's office, are working on drafting a new one.

"The Tribal Council is continuing to maintain regular contact with the Governor's Office and with local elected leaders to move the settlement legislation forward," said White. "A new legislation to resolve our land claim is being drafted, but the withdrawal of local support will make it difficult to obtain a local sponsor. Two sponsors are needed to introduce the Bill into both Chambers of the State Legislature. These are normally elected officials whose districts include the land claim area."