99 



full-time equivalent jobs in our Community. The loss of lease 

 revenues would cripple our municipal budget, reduce services and 

 further subject our citizens to the hardships of poverty. 



2) VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL POLICY : S.3'+6 ignores, indeed, 

 directly conflicts with national Indian policy. During the last 

 administration, the government adopted a policy promoting Indian 

 economic self-sufficiency. Former President Reagan's statement 

 of Indian policy issued January 24, 1983, called upon tribes to 

 reduce their dependence on their local economies. Congress went 

 along with this policy by reducing appropriations for Indian 

 prog rams . 



The Supreme Court has recognized Congress' adoption of this 

 policy of Indian self-sufficiency. In California v. Cabazon Band 

 of Mission Indians , _U.S._, 9't L.Ed. 2d 2'+it (1987), the Court 

 characterized it as the "...congressional goal of Indian self- 

 government, including its 'overriding goal' of encouraging tribal 

 self-sufficiency and economic development. These are important 

 federal interests." S.3'+5 subordinates our economic needs to 

 preservationist interests. This hardly manifests the consistent 

 and beneficial approach to Indian economic policy attributed to 

 Congress by the Supreme Court. 



3) VIOLATIONS OF TRUST RESPONSIBILITY : We believe 5.3^+6 also 

 would violate the federal government's trust responsibility to 

 Indian tribes. As you l<now, tribes have a special relationship 

 with the federal government that has been described as one of 

 "trust". See Cherokee Nation v. Georgia , 30 U.S. 1 (1831) 



This trust relationship historically has been guarded by 

 Congress in establishing federal land policy. In the National 

 Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4332 et seq ., the National 

 Forest Mangement Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1604 e_t seq . , and the regulations 

 promulgated to implement the policies of the acts, congressional 

 adherence to trust principles is clear. For example, a provision 

 of the regulations implementing NEPA states, in relevant part, 

 as f o 1 1 ows : 



