To: Philip N. Hogen, Chairman 

Through: Penny I. Coleman, Acting General Counsel 

From: John R. Hay, Staff Attorney 

Date: October 18,2007 

Re: Mooretown Rancheria Restored Lands 

On September 1, 2005. the Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of thc Inspector 

General (OIG) issued a report detaiIing the land into trust process. The OIG report found 

that the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) lacked a process for ensuring that 

all lands used by Indian tribes for gaming met the requirements of the Indian Gaming 

Regulatory Act (IGRA). The report specificaEIy listed the Moorctow Rancheria of 

Maidu Indians of California YTribe") as an example of a tribe with a post-1988 tmst 

acquisition that was being used for gaming without a determination, by the NIGC, that 

the site is exempt pursuant to IGM, 25 U.S.C. 8 2719, Off~ce of the Inspector General, 

U.S. Dep't of the Interior, Final Evaluation Rep, on the Process Used to Assess 

dpplicof ions to Trrke Land into Trust for Gaming Purpose.l: Rep. No. E-EV-BI A-0063 - 

2003 (2005). The Tribe requested an advisory legal opinion, from the NIGC, confirming 

that its I994 trust acquisition of the parcel of land on which the Feather Falls Casino is 

sited YFeather FaEEs Site or Site") qualifies as a '?retoration of Iands" within the meaning 

of IGRA. 25 U.S.C. 1$ 2719(h)(l)(B)(iii). The Tribe provided us with a IcgaI opinion as 

well as a comprehensive report prepared by an ethno-historian. 

As detailed below, we beIieve that the Maoretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 

California is a restored tribe and the Feather Falls Site, on which it is conducting gaming, 

is restored land. 
Background 

The Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu lndians of California ("Tribe") is a federaIly 

recognized Indian tribe. The Tribe was terminated in 1961 and later restored by judicial 

stipulation in 1983. 

The original Rancheria consists of two distinct 80-acre parcels of land in Butte County, 

California. The parcels are about one half mile away from each other. The United States 

set aside the first parcel from Iand within the public domain in 1894, and it purchased the 

second parcel in 1 91 6. 

The Tribe has been conducting gaming at its Feather Falls casino since July of 1996. The 

casino is located 15 miles from the original Rancheria on a parcel of land that also 

includes the tribal government offices as well as tribal housing. This Iand was acquired 

into trust by the United States in July 26, 1994.' 

Applicable Law 

For tribes to conduct saming under IGRA, such gaming must be conducted on "Indian 

Iands," defined as: 

(A) all Iands within the limits of any Indian reservation; and 

(B) any lands title to which is either held in trust by the United States for the 

benefit of any Indian tribe or individual or held by any Indian tribe or individual 

subject to restriction by the United State against alienation and over which an 

Indian tribe exercises governmental power. 

25 U.S.C. 8 270314). 

Regulations have further clarified the Indian lands definition: 

Indian Iands means: 

(a) Land within the limits of an Indian reservation; or 

(b) Land over which an Indian tribe exercises govesnmental power and 

that is either -- 

(I) Held in trust by the United States for the benefit of any Indian tribe or 

individual; or 

(2) Held by an Indian tribe or individual subject to restriction by the 

United States against alienation. 

1 The land is described in the grant deed as "Parcel 4, as shown on that certain Parcel Map filed in the 

office of the Recorder of the County of Butte, State of California, on April 30, 1990 in Book 1 19 of Maps, 

at pages 28,29 and 30, and a 60.00 foot right of way for road and public utility purposes over Alverda 

Drive and Lorene Coutt over Parcel two and three as shown on that certain Parcel Map filed in the office of 

the Recorder of the County of Butte, State of California, on April [sic] 30, 1940 in Book 1 19 of Maps at 

pages 2R,29 and 30." 
25 C.F.R. 5 502.12. 

Jurisdiction and Exercise of GovemmentaI Authority 

Since the Feather Falls Site is off-reservation, the Tribe has the burden of establishing it 

has jurisdiction and exercises "govemental power" over the parceI in order for the land 

to qualify as "Indian lands.'Vee 25 U.S.C. $ 2703(4)(b) and 25 C.F.R. § 502.12(b). 

"Tribal jurisdiction'Ys a threshold requirement for the exercise of governmental power. 

See, e.g., Rhode Island v. Nurragamett Indian Tribe, 19 F.3d 685,701 -703 (I st Cir. 

1994), cert. denied, 5 13 U.S. 919 (1994), superseded by statute as stated in Narragcsnsett 

Indian Tribe v. National Indian Gaming Commission, 158 F.3d 1335 @.C.Cir. 1998); 

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma v. United Stutes, 5 F. Supp. 2d 12 13, I2 1 7-1 8 (D.Kan. 1998); 

State ex rel. Graves v. United States, 86 F. Supp. 2d 1 094 (D .Man. 2000), afld and 

remanded, Kamas v. UaitedStates? 249 F.3d 1213 (10" Cir. 2001). 

Tribes are presumed to have jurisdiction over their members and lands. The Supreme 

Court has stated that Indian tribes are "invested with the right of self-government and 

jurisdiction over the persons and property within the limits of the territory they occupy, 

except so far as that jurisdiction has been restrained and abridged by treaty or act of 

Congress." Me~~rio~1 v CJicn~illa Apache Pihe* 455 U.S= 130, 140 (1 982): /, see --- al~vo -----, 

United States v. FVheeler, 435 U.S. 3 13,323 (1 978). There are no treaties or statutes 

applicable here that would limit the tribe's jurisdiction. 

When lands are held in trust for a tribe off-reservation, we analyze whether the tribe is OVOV~;L.;~~ mnxrn*.n-mn+ol ollthnA+rr r\rrar thn lrrnrl Thn Cnothar Co11.n Cqtn ;n olrnorlrr in hart UAbLblJltLS SU V&IlULlCIllLUL UULlLUltLJ UIUl U1b IULLU. LLlU I &UUlCII L UILJ UIIU 1s UILUUUJ 111 LIUJL 

and the Tribe is currently conducting gaming. Therefore, it is not necessary for the 

Department to speculate as to whether the tribe will exercise governmental authority over 

it. Gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) is a unique activity that 

only Indian tribal governments can sanction in their distinctly governmental capacity. 

See 25 U.S.C. 8 270 l(1 ](generating tribal governmental revenue), 5 2701 (4)(tribaE. selfsufficiency and strong tribal governments), § 2702(1) (promote strong tribal. 

governments), # 2703(3) (generate tribal revenue), $27 1 O(b)(l)(tribal power to license 

and regulate gaming), 5 27 1 O(b)(l)(B)(goveming body to adopt ordinances}, 

5 27 10(b)(2)(B)(net revenues can only be used to fund governmental operations and 

programs, provide general welfare, promote tribaI economic development donate to 

charities and help fund operations of local government agencies), and fj 27 1 O(d)(negotiate 

and compact: with a state). Additionally, the site also houses the tribal offices as well as 

some tribal housing. Consequently, since the land presently is in trust, and the tribe 

conducts and regulates such gaming as well as other activities, it exercises governmental 

authority. 

A determination of whether n tribe is conducting gaming on Indian lands, however, is not 

necessariIy the end of the inquiry. IGPU4. generd!y prohibits gaming gn !a~ds ~cqtiired in 

trust after October 17, 1998 (IGRA's enactment date), unless one of the statute's 

exceptions apply. 25 U.S.C. 5 2719. Accordingly, for lands taken into trust after 
October 17, 1988. it is necessary to review the prohibition and its exceptions to determine 

whether a tribe can conduct gaming on such lands. 

In this case, the Tribe has requested a legal opinion affirming that the parcel it has been 

conducting gaming on since July of 1996, (the Feather Falls Site), qualifies for IGRA's 

restored lands exception. The restored lands exception allows gaming on Indian lands 

acquired in trust after October 17, 1988, if the lands are taken into trust as part of the 

"restoration of lands for an Indian tribe that is restored to Federal recognition.'"5 

U.S.C. 8 271 9(b)(l)(B)(iii). 

Analysis 

Application of IGRA's restored lands exception requires a two-part analysis: 1 $ whether 

the tribe is an "Indian tribe that is restored to Federal recognition"; and 2) whether trust 

acquisition of the subject land is part of n "restoration of lands" for the tribe. These terms 

are not defined in IGM or the NIGC's implementing regulations, but severaI judicial 

opinions and agency General Counsel's opinions provide guidance. 

I. The Mooretawn Rancheria Has Been Restored to FederwE Recognition 

To be considered an "Indian tribe that is restored to Federal Recognition," as that term is 

used in IGRA, a .tribe must demonstrate: 1) a history of governmental recognition; 2) a 

termination of recognition; and 3) restoration of recognition. See Grand Traverse Band 

of Oftawa and Chippewa I~lLJiam V. Ofice ofthe US. Attorney for the N Di.~t. ClfMich., 

369 F.3d 960,967 (bth Cir. 2004). 

A. The Mooretown Rancheria Was Recognized By The Federal 

Government 

TIle history of government recognition of the Tribe by the United States is evidenced by 

the creation of the Rancl~eria by the United States when it set aside and purchased land to 

form the Rancheria in 1894 and again in 1916 and by other contacts with the Federal 

government, which are discussed below. 

1. 1894 80-Acre Parcel 

The creation of the Rancheria, by the withdrawal of the first 80-acre parcel from the 

public domain in 1894, was the resuIt of an attempt by a non-Indian to homestead land 

that was the site of a Concow village. The homesteader, James T. Gmbbs, tried to 

homestead 80 acres of land described as the N !4 of the NE % of Section 22, Township 20 

N. Range 6E, Mount Diablo Meridian. The Indians living on the land filed an affidavit in 

opposition to Grubbs' attempt to homestead the land and requested that the land be set 

aside for their use and benefit based upon their long term use and occupancy. Grubbs 

admitted that the Concow settlement predated his claim and relinquished the cIaim. 

Jonathan P. Leonard, the Justice of the Peace in Oroville, acknowledged the Indian 

village and told Gsubbs that he could not patent the land over the Indian's objection. 
Based upon the affidavit submitted by the Indians, the Acting Commissioner of the 

Office of Indian Affairs recommended to the Secretary of the Interior that the land "be set 

apart and reserved for the use and benefit" of the petitioning Indians "and their families 

now in occupation of the same." Letter from Frank C. Armwong, Indian Commissioner, 

Department of the Interior, to the Honorable Secretary of the Interior. Department of the 

Interior (06/04/1894), noted in Grabowski & Associates. History of the Mowetown 

Rancheria, Butte Couniy, C~al$ornia, bereinafter GraRowski Report], and cited 0.7 

Exhibit 39, at 25. 

A. 1916 80-Acre Parcel 

Bureau of Indian Affairs Special Agent C. E. KeIsey conducted an investigation to 

document the living conditions of the California Indians in the early 1900s. Kelsey 

identified a total of 45 Indians living near the towns of Mooretom and Lumpkin who 

needed land. In 191 5 Special Agent John TeneII made a field visit to the area to assess 

the situation of the Mooretown Indians and make recommendations regding their land 

needs. Me found four occupied cabins on the 80 acres set aside in 1894, and, about a half 

mile away, he found Fred (Frank) Taylor and his wife Rosie, living on land owned by the 

Central Pacific Railroad, described as the N !4 of the NE TJ4 of Section 23, Township 20N, 

Range SE, Mount Diablo Meridian. The Taylors expressed an interest in having other 

landless Mooretown Indians live on the land with them if additiona1 acreage could be 

acquired. TerrelI recommended the purchase of the land from the RaiIroad as a 

'"permanent home for the Mooretown Indians, Frank Taylor, Chief or leading Tndian." 

Thc Railroad agreed to seIl the Iand by the end of 191 5, and the SO-acre parcel was 

acquired by the FederaI government for the benefit of the Tribe in 1916. Lcttcr from 

John Tenell, lndian Agent, Department of the Interior. to Commissioner of Indian 

Affairs, Department of the Interior (0811 6/1915), noted in Gmhawski Reporf and cifed us 

Exhibit 40, at 25. 

3. Other Contacts With the Federal Government 

In 1934, Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act ("IRA"), also known as the 

WheeIer-Howard Act. 25 U.S.C.A. 8 461 et seq. The IRA sought to protect ttibal land 

bases by permitting tribes to estabIish governmental sfructures. Thc Act authorized tribes 

to organize and adopt sibaI constitutions subject to a vote by tribal members. In 1934, 

the Tribe voted 34 to 0 against reorganizing under the IRA. The results of the tribaI 

election were reported to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs on June T 7, 1935, by 0. H. 

Lipps the Superintendent of the Sacramento Indian Agency. Letter from 0. H. Lipps, 

Superintendent, to Commissioner of Indim Affairs, Depmtme~t :to f?e !nte:i=: 

(0611 7/1935), noled in &who~)ski Reporr and cifed as Exhibit 1 1 8. at 68. 

In 1946, tribal member Katie Brooks AFchuIeta sought permission from the BJA 

Sacramento Area Office to allow her daughter to move into a vacant house on the 

property that was acquired for the Tribe in 1916. The BIA responded that the land 

belongcd to Mooretown Rancheria and was held in trust by the United States. Therefore, 

the consent of the other members of the Tribe was necessary before her daughter could 
move onto the property. Letter from John G. Rockwell. Superintendent, to Katie 

Archuleta (0212811 9461, noted in Grabowski Report and cited us Exhibit 1 13, at 65. 

The contact and interaction between the agents for the Department of the Interior and the 

Mooretown Indians regarding the two 80-acre parcels, along with the report of the tribal 

election and Archuleta communication, demonstrate that the Federal government 

historically recognized the Tribe's existence. 

B. The Maoretown Rancheria Was Terminated in July of 1961 

In 1958, Congress enacted the California Rancheria Act, Pub. L. No. 85-671 (72 Stat. 

6191, later amended by Pub. L. No. 88-41 9 (78 Stat. 390)(1964), which authorized the 

termination of federal supervision of the rancherias and the distribution of the land ta the 

residents. Under the Rancheria Act, once the majority of adult Indians of the Rancheria 

approved the distributinn p!~, the Ser.reta~ of the Interior revoked my constitution they 

had adopted. As a consequence, the residents of the Rancherias were no longer dealt 

with as tribes by the United States. Additionally, the United States government 

terminated the trust status of the RancherEa lands, including those of the Mooretown 

Rancheria, and dis&ibut.ed the lands in fee to the aduIt Indian residents. The actual 

distribution of assets was to be accomplished within three years of approval of the plan. 

On July 21, 1961, the Secretary of the Interior approved a plan for the distribution of 

assets of the ~ribe.~ 

These facts demonstrate a termination of recognition by the Federal government. 

C. The Mooretown Rancheria Was Restored in 1983 

In 1979, Indian residents from the Rancheria joined Indians from other California 

Rancherias in n class action lawsuit to restore the reservation status of their land, 

asserting that their trust rdatianship had been illegally terminated under the Rancheria 

Act of 1958. See Hardwick v. Uniled States, No. C-79-1710 SW (N.D. Cal. Filed 1979). 

The plaintiffs sought, among other things, judicial recognition that "[tlhe Secretary of the 

Interior is under a duty to 'unterminate' each of the subject Rancherias, and . . . to hold 

the same in trust for the benefit of the Indians of the original Rancheria;" and further that 

"[tlhe Secretary of the Interior is under a duty to treat a11 of the subject Rancherias as 

Indian reservations in all respects[.]" Hardwick, Complaint at 27. 

The Iitigation was ultimatcIy settled. Settlement was achieved through a stipulated 

judgment between the members of the class and the United States and then between the 

members of the class and thc respective counties in which they lay. 

Notice of Termination was published in the Federal Register on August 1. 1961 and corrected on 

September 1 1, 1974. Property of California Rancherias and of Individual Members Thereof - Termination 

of Federal Supervision, 26 Fed. Reg. 6875,6876 (Aug, 1, 196 I >, corrected hv Mooretown Rancheria in 

California and Individual Members Thereof - Notice of Termination of Federal Supervision Over Property; 

Correction, 39 Fed. Reg. 32766 (Scpt. l I, 1974). 
The first stipulation, which was between the members of the class and the United States 

and was approved by fcderal court order on December 22, 1983, provides, in relevant 

part, as follows: 

3. The status of the named individual plaintiffs and other 

class members of the seventeen Rancherias named and 

described in paragraph 1 as Indians under the laws of the 

United States shall be restored and confirmed. In restoring 

and confirming their status as Indians, said class members 

shall be relieved of Sections 2(d) [subjecting any property 

so distributed to taxation] and 10(b) [terminating services 

provided to Indians] of the California Rancheria Act and 

shall be deemed entitled to any of the benefits or services 

provided or performed by the United States for Indians 

because of their status as Indians, if otherwise qualified 

under applicable laws and reguIations. 

4. The Secretary of the Interior shall recognize the Indian 

Tribes, Bands, Communities or groups of the seventeen 

Rancherias listed in paragraph 1 as Indian entities with the 

same status as thev possessed prior to distribution oi the 

assets of these Rmcherias under the California Rancheria 

Act, and said Tribes, Bands, Communities and groups shall 

be included on the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Federal 

Register list of recognized tribal entities pursuant to 25 

CFR, Section 83.6Ib). Said Tribes, Rands, Communities or 

groups of Indians shall be relieved from the application of 

section 11 [revoking constitutions under the Indian 

Reorganization kt3] of the California Rancheria Act and 

shall be deemed entitled to any of the benefits or services 

provided or performed by the United Statcs for Indian 

Tribes, ~ands. Communities or groups because of their 

status as Indian Tribes, Bands, Communities or groups. 

10. The Secretary of the Interior, named individual 

plaintiffs, and other class members agree that the 

distribution plans for these Rancherias shall be of no 

firher force and effect and shall not be further 

implemented; however, this provision shall not affect any 

vested rights created thereunder (emphasis added). 

Hard~~ick, Stipulation and Order. Dec. 22, 1983. 

25 U.S.C. fi 461 et seq. 
ahe stipulation with the United States left "for further proceedings" the question of 

whether to restore the former boundaries of the Rancherias. Id., Paragraph 5 at 4. ("The 

court shall not include in any judgment entered pursuant to this stipulation any 

determination of whether or to what extent the boundaries of the Rancherfas Iisted and 

described in paragraph 1 shall be restored and shall retain jurisdiction to resolve this issue 

in further proceedings herein.'']. 

In 1988, the members of the class from the Mooretown Rancheria entered into another 

Hardwick Stipulation for Entry of Judgment with Butte County. The 1 988 Stipulation 

provides that: 

The original boundaries of the Mooretown Rancheria, as it 

existed immediately prior to it purported termination under 

the Rancheria Act are hereby restored, and all land within 

the restored boundaries of the Mooretown Rancheria are 

decIared to be "Indian Countrv" (emphasis in original). 

Hardwick, Stipulation and Order (Butte County) Para. 2.C., at 4, May 9, 1 988. Although 

the United States was not among the parties that signed the I988 Stipulation, which was 

psimarity designed to resolve issues surrounding the payment of real property taxes to 

Butte Couny, the 1988 Stipulation was accepted by the federal court and was entered as 

a judgment. Hardwick, Stipulation and Judgment. filed June 1 0, 1988. The effect of the 

judgments was that all lands within the Rancheria boundaries, as they existed 

immediately prior to the iIIegal termination, were declared to be "Indian Country" as 

defined by I& U.S.C. 5 1 151. Amador County expressly agreed to treat the Rancheria 

Iike any other federally recognized Indian reservation. 

Consequently, we can conclude that the Tribe qualifies as a "restored" tribe within the 

meaning of IGRA. 

iI. Trust Acquisition of the Gaming Property Was a Restoration of Lands 

Having determined that the Mooretown Rancheria is "restored," the next issue is whether 

the gaming property (Feather Falls Site) was "land taken into trust as part of . . . the 

restoration of lands for an Indian tribe that is restored to Federal recognition." under 25 

U.S.C. 8 271 9(b)(I)(B)(iii). 

The language of the statute does not require that a "restoration of Iands" be accompIished 

through congressional action or in the very same transaction that restored the tribe to 

4 While the United States, as codefendant, did not sign the 1988 Stipulation, it did however sign the 

underlying stipulation that restored the Tribe in 1983. In that stipulation the United States agreed and the 

Court held that it would not determine the boundaries of the Rancheria yet, but, "shall retain jurisdiction to 

rcsolve this issue in further proceedings herein." The stipulated judgment that plaintiff and defendant Butte 

County finalized in 1988, was one of the "further proceedings" anticipated by the 1983 stipulation. For 

these reasons, the United States considers itself bound by both stipulations. 
Federal recognition; and therefore, lands may be restored to a tribe through the 

administrative fee-to-trust process under 25 C.F.R. Part 15 1. Grand Traverse Band of 

Ottawa and Chippewa Indians v. United Srates Aftorprey, 198 F. Supp. 2d 920, 935-36 

(W.D. Mich. 2002), qffd, 369 F.3d 960 (6" Cir. 2004) ("Grand Traverse IP); 

Cop!federated Tribes of Coos, lo we^. Umpqua & Siztslaw Indians v. Bah bitt, 1 T 6 F. Supp. 

2d 1 55, 1 6 1 -64 (D.D.C. 2000); Grand Traverse Band of Oftma and Chippewa Indims v. 

Unifed States Atlorney, 46 F. Supp. 2d 689, 699-700 (W.D. Mich. 1999) ("Grand 

Traverse P3. The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan 

stated: 

[Alccepting the State's position that_ Some limitation is req~~ired, nothing 

in the record supports the requirement of CongressionaI action. Neither 

the statute nor the statutory history suggests such a limitation. Given the 

plain meaning of the language, the term "restoration" may be read in 

numerous ways to place belatedly restored tribes in comparable position to 

earlier recognized tribes while simultaneousIy limiting after-acquired 

property in some fashion. 

Grand Traverse II, at 935. The court then proposed that land acquired after restoration 

could be limited by one or more factors: "For example, land that could be considered part 

of such restoration might appropriateIy be limited 'by the factuaI circumstances of the 

acquisition. the Iocation of the acquisition, or the temporal relationship of the acquisition 

to the tribal restoration." Id. 

After examination of these factors, we concIude that the trust acquisition ofthe gaming 

parceI was a restoration of lands to a restored tribe under 25 U.S.C. 8 771 n/Lvi wn\r:::\ L I 17(U)[ Y J[U)[lLl). 

A. Factual Circumstances of the Acquisition 

One hundred forty-acres of the 160 acres that make up the Rancheria are currently owned 

in fee by tribal members. 'Fhe Tribe itself awns no land within the Rancheria. Following 

its restoration under the I-Iardwick stipulation the tribe engaged in an effort to reorganize 

its government and acquire a triba! land base. In ? 938, t!!e Tribe organized its 

government and elected tribal officers. OriginaIly, the tsibe sought land near the original Tl-.._ 1.- I-. 1 a1 ---- -- -..:&-tf- ,..-A I-., :1,L1, I?,, cL, TiL,, ,,A, 5 72,. r -.., Kancnena; nowcvcr, tncrc was nu suiiault: ~iuiu ilvilllnurc lur LUG I IIUC~ IICCU~. I &IF; LGW 

parcels that were suitable were not for sale at any price. 

On December 5, 1991, the Tribe purchased a 34.74-acre parcel of land (Feather Falls 

Site) about three miles from the town of Oroville with HUD money.' On December 9, 

1992, the Tribe requested the BIA accept the property in trust, and on July 26, 1994, the 

property was placed into trust. HUD funds were used to build fifty homes and the 

5 The topography was steep; the soils were unsuitable for septic systems; utilities were unavailable; and 

there was limited access to the land. 

" To qualify for HUD's Community Development Block Grant the land musf meet several criteria 

including: a minimum of 20 acres of land with under 10% slopes; adequate soils for septic systems and 

construction af homes: availability of electricity. water and acceptable access. 
requisite infrastructure on the parcel. Additionally, an office building was aIso 

constructed on the land. The office building houses tribal governmental offices, a 

community center, the Head Start program, as well as offices for other tribal services. 

The Tribe began gaming on the land in a modular structure in July, 1996. A permanent 

structure was constructed on the property and opened in January of 1998. 

The Tribe has since purchased four more parcels. All of the parcels are contiguous to the 

original parcel that was purchaqed in 1991 and placed in trust in 1994. 

B. Location of the Acquisition 

The Iocation of a trust acquisition is an important factor in determining whether the 

parcel constitutes restored lands. In re: Wyandofte Nation Amended Gaming Ordinance, 

NIGC Final Decision and Order at 10 (Sept. 10, 2004)rNIGC Wyandotte Opinion"); 

NIGC Grand Traverse Opinion at 17-18. Consequently, we need to examine the Tribe's 

historicaI and modern connections to the land being acquired. Id. 

1; Hirtorical Connections to the Land 

The ethno-historical evidence submitted by the Tribe supports the opinion that 

throughout the Tribe's history its members maintained connections to the area 

surrounding the Feather Falls casino sufficient to qualify the land as restored. 

The native people for whom the Mooretown Raneheria was set aside were Concow, one 

of three Maiduan ethnographicAinguistic divisions. The Concow are also referred to as 

Northwestern Maidu. The Tribe's ethno-historian provides evidence that Concow 

aboriginal territory included most of Butte County and parts of surrounding counties, 

including Yuba, GIenn, Tehama, and Plums. See generally Grabowski Report. 

Concow people lived in villages of up to twenty households and thirty-five individuals. 

Villages were relatively self-sufficient and enjoyed considerabIe politicaI autonomy, but 

several villages in close proximity to each other cooperated with each other and formed 

what anthropologists rcfer to as '"illage-communities." A band of Concow Indians, 

consisted of several villages working together as a village-community. The small size of 

these village-communities and the dearth of natural resources required that the Concow 

band utilize a twenty-mile radius to meet its subsistence needs. This twenty-mile radius 

constitutes the aboriginaI territory of the village community. Id. The group Eater known 

as the Maoretown Indians was such a Band or viIlage-community. 

The Feathe; Fa!!s. Site lies just a;;tside OrWi!le, apprGximate?y 15 Ti!es hm the GriginaE 

Ranchesia. The parcel is also within fifteen to twenty mites of ten villages that were 

identified to archaeologist Francis RiddelI in 196 1 as sites that were used by members of 

the same village-community as the Indians for whom the RmcherEa was se? slside. 

Riddell interviewed several members of the Mooretown band including Fred Taylor and 

Robert Jackson, two of the distributes when the Tribe was terminated in 1961. They 
provided to him the names and locations of viIlage sites, prominent physicaI features of 

the environment, and the Iocations of important natural resources used by the Concow 

band that Iater became known at the Mooretown Indians. They included the villages of 

C'ic I, Lum lurni, YoIok (or Yoloko}, Kalkdyani, Polom koiyo, Mum mum pani, 

Dolwoli, Wononkoyo, Kilkildi, and ~okubeh.' Id. at 41-46, 

The sites identified by the individuals Riddell interviewed are within a twenty-mile radius 

of the original Rancheria and are generally within what would have been the aboriginal 

territory of the village-community from which the Tribe descends. 

2. Modern Connection to the Land 

The Tribe has modern and present day connections to the Feather Falls Site. Presently, in 

addition to the Casino, the Site contains the Tribal government building, a community 

center and tribal housing. On lands adjacent to the Feather Falls Site, the Tribe has a 

number of businesses and recreational facilities. 

C. Temporal Relationship of the Acquisition to Tribal Restoration 

Whether there is a reasonabIe temporal connection between the restoration and the trust 

acquisition at issue is another factor in determining whether the lad is restored land 

within the meaning of IGRA. Grand Trmerse BundiI, 198 F. Supp. 2d at 936 ("the- land 

may be considered part of a restoration of lands on the basis of timing alone."). 

The Tribe's federal recognition was restored in 1983 as a result of the Stipulation in the 

Hardwick Iitigation already discussed. Following restoration the Feather Falls Site was 

purchased on December 5, 1991, and taken into bust on July 26, 1994. This site was the 

first parcel of land held in mst for the benefit of the Tribe. The 11 year temporaI period 

between restoration and trust acquisition is reasonable under the circumstances of the 

liarhick Stipulation and consistent with prior agency decisions. See Memorandum 

from Penny Coleman, NIGC Acting General Counsel, to NIGC Chairman Deer at 13-14 

(Aug. 5, 2002) ("NIGC Rohnewille Opinion") (accepting 10 years between tribal 

recognition and trust acquisition as reasonable under particular circumstances): 

Memorandum from Phil I-Iogen. Associate Solicitor, Dep't of the Interior Division of 

Indian Affairs, to Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs zt :',>I4 (Dec. 5, 200!) (Ynterios 

Coos Opinion") (accepting 14 yeas between tribal recognition and trust acquisition as 

reasonable under particular circumstances). 

The reasonable period between bibal recognition and trust acquisition coupIed with the 

fact that the Feather Falls Site was the first land acquisition by the Tribe after lheir 

restoration, establishes a reasonable temporal relationship between these two events. 

Conclusion 

' The villages of C'ic 1, and Yolok were located on the lands set aside for the Tribe in 1844 and 1916 as 

discussed in Section 1.A. 
Based upon the foregoing, we conclude: 1) the Tribe exercises jurisdiction and 

governmental authority over the Site; and 2) the Tribe was "restored to Federal 

recognition" and that the trust acquisition of the Feather Falls Site was the "restoration of 

lands" for a Tribe as those terms are used in 25 U.S.C. 5 2719(b)(l)(B)(iii). Ilus, the 

Site qualifies as Indian lands within the meaning of IGRA. The Department of the 

Interior, Office of the Solicitor, concurs with this opinion.