Schumer Calls On BIA To Quickly Approve Land Application For Catskill Casino

Schumer Calls On BIA To Quickly Approve Land Application For Catskill Casino

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the Bureau of Indian Affairs to quickly approve plans for a new Indian gaming casino to be built in Sullivan County. Schumer's call comes on the heels of yesterday's approval by Governor Elliot Spitzer of the Mohawk Indians' application to build the new facility. The $600 million Catskills casino is expected to create 3,000 permanent jobs and generate an economic boom in the area once known around the world as am entertainment and recreation mecca, which has fallen on hard times.

"The time for this casino in the Catskills has come and the BIA now needs to keep this momentum going in order to bring this vital endeavor to life," Schumer said. "This location at the Monticello Raceway is the best fit for this type of development. It will be an economic boon for the entire region and bring life to this once vibrant part of New York. I applaud Governor Spitzer for his speedy action and ask Secretary Kempthorne to act in kind."

Yesterday, Governor Spitzer signed an amendment to the tribe's existing gaming compact which specifically grants the necessary approval for the Sullivan County casino. Approval of the land-into-trust application is the next step in the approval process. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has not indicated whether he will approve the Mohawks' application. Today, Schumer sent Secretary Kempthorne a personal letter asking him to do so. Schumer has personally lobbied Kempthorne for prior administrative rulings in support of this casino project.

In his letter, Schumer cited overwhelming community and local government support and the enormous economic benefits of building the new casino as the prime reasons for speedy BIA approval. In addition to creating thousands of new jobs, the casino would generate new tax revenues, and revitalize a now moribund region. Schumer also pointed out that the plans for the casino would require bringing only 30 acres in to trust, a modest amount relative to similar projects across the country. Schumer said he will do everything he can at the federal level to bring this casino to Sullivan County and shepherd the project through the lengthy approval process. Over the last six years, the Tribe has submitted a number of environmental assessments to the Department of the Interior, and their proposal has withstood rigorous Federal scrutiny. The Department of the Interior approved a "finding of no significant impact" (FONSI) in late December 2006, after review of the Tribe's environmental assessment (EA). The EA submitted by the Tribe was found to be sufficient, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would not be required by the Department of the Interior.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=269906