The most outrageous measure to pass out of the California Legislature this year is Senate Bill 1828 by Burton, a bill that would allow Native Americans to exercise veto power over mining operations or other development within 20 miles of their land. Here’s a story from the LA Times (Tribes Flex Power on Sacred Sites):
SACRAMENTO — A formidable Capitol coalition of local governments, builders and landowners is feeling the power of California’s Native American lobby in a fight over a bill created to safeguard sacred sites.
Senate Bill 1828 would compel government agencies to notify a Native American tribe of any proposed development within 20 miles of its reservation and could require developers to reduce the effects of such a project.
According to business groups and other opponents, if it is signed into law, the reality could be an avalanche of lawsuits and endless development delays. They say economic growth and development in California are at stake.
The key issue is a vague and overly broad definition of “sacred site” which essentially applies to any piece of land. The effect of this is to allow tribes to extort huge fees from developers who don’t want their projects blocked. So all that’s happening here is money using the legislature to make itself richer.
Here’s the definition of “sacred site”:
“Native American sacred site” means a specific area that is identified by a federally recognized Indian tribe, Rancheria or Mission Band of Indians, or by the Native American Heritage Commission, as sacred by virtue of its established historical or cultural significance to, or ceremonial use by, a Native American group, including, but not limited to, any area containing a prayer circle, shrine, petroglyph, or spirit break, or a path or area linking the circle, shrine, petroglyph, or spirit break with another circle, shrine, petroglyph, or spirit break.
In other words, it’s any area a tribe claims is sacred.