By Michael Benjamin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wrvo/local-wrvo-947778.mp3
WRVO – Madison County has been fighting the Oneida Indian nation for years over land claims and sovereignty issues.
The U.S. Supreme Court had been scheduled to hear a case questioning the county's ability to collect property taxes from the nation before it was sent back to an appellate court when the Oneidas dropped a sovereignty claim.
Then, last week someone in the Madison County government noticed new maps released by the U.S. Census Bureau after the 2010 Census. One the new maps, the Oneidas' reservation had grown from 32 acres at the time of the 2000 Census to more than 300,000 acres in 2010. Most of that growth was in Madison County.
Attorney for Madison County, John Campanie says no one with the county was made aware of the changes.
"I think the most striking thing about it was that a federal agency could take this type of an action with absolutely no notice whatsoever to the affected state and local governments," Campanie says.
So, how did the maps change?
A statement supplied by the U.S Census Bureau says when the maps are released, any government of tribal entity can contact the bureau about changes they think need to be made. Those changes are then checked by the Department of the Interior, and the changes are made if the department deems them to be legitimate.
In this case, the Oneidas made a claim that their reservation land was larger than it was shown to be. That claim was deemed to be legitimate, and their reservation grew on the maps.
But, the Census Bureau says the maps are used for statistical purposes only - meaning they're not saying the land belongs to the Oneidas, only that they claim it.
But County Attorney Campanie isn't buying it.
"The designation of an area as an Indian reservation on any map is detrimental," he says, "and will be used to assert that it is a present active Indian reservation, and certain sovereign rights will flow from that designation."
"In effect," says Campanie, "[it is] facilitating the Oneidas to make a claim that they have sovereignty over the area, to the detriment of the state and local governments."
Campanie says the county is looking into the situation to find the facts. Then, he says, the county plans to take whatever action it deems necessary to make sure the land on the map is not deemed to be the Oneidas' sovereign land.
For their part, the Oneidas have released a statement saying the map reflects the United States' longstanding position on the Oneida Nation reservation.
In the statement, Oneida spokesman Mark Emery says Madison County officials need to stop spending public money fighting old battles.
He urges the county to work together with the Oneida Nation and move forward with a mutually respectful relationship.