Court upholds Narragansett Indians’ land trust bid

Friday, Feb. 11, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of the Narragansett Indians' bid to place into a federal trust 31 acres of land that is adjacent to the tribe's settlement lands in Charlestown.

The three-judge ruling on Wednesday from the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston upheld a lower court's ruling. A lawyer for the town of Charlestown said he'll ask the full appeals court to review the case.

The Narragansett bought the land from a private developer in 1991. Seven years later, they agreed to the U.S. Interior Department's call for the land to be used for tribal housing. Interior then put the property in a federal trust to free it from state and local taxes and laws. The state and town of Charlestown appealed the department's decision, and the matter went to federal court.

State and town officials fear the Narragansett will use the land for a casino. They also contend that a federal trust status would render the state powerless to control what's developed there, or collect taxes. The Narragansett say they'll use the land for housing. Some housing already has been built on the land.