California Tribe Suspends Talks

As reported by the Amador Ledger: "On the urging of the governor's legal aides, the Buena Vista Band of Me-Wuk Indians this week suspended discussions with Amador County officials on the environmental effects of a proposed $200 million casino south of Ione in Jackson Valley.

"'Negotiations for the county and the tribe to enter into an inter-governmental agreement to mitigate impacts from the tribe's proposed Flying Cloud Casino at Buena Vista have been suspended indefinitely pending the tribe's completion of its environmental review process,' said County Administrative Officer Patrick Blacklock on Monday.

"The tribe wants to build a 2,000-slot casino on a two-lane road south of Ione. The tribe is proposing a 245,000-square-foot complex of gambling, dining and entertainment. The casino would occupy about 15 acres of tribal land and employ almost 2,000 people.

"…Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged the tribe to decertify the Tribal Environmental Impact Report, or TEIR, because it did not contain the information required by the tribe's amended compact with the state. The tribe has said that it will prepare a new report and seeks the cooperation of the county. County officials urged the tribe to begin with a new draft report so that affected agencies and individuals can comment on the new proposal…"