Summer 2000

Bureau of Indian Affairs Issues Proposed Findings Supporting Federal Recognition for Eastern Pequots and Paucatuck Eastern Pequots

decorationOn March 31, 2000, the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs published Proposed Findings in the Federal Register. These Findings recommended granting the Petitions for Federal Recognition filed by both the Eastern Pequots and the Paucatuck Eastern Pequots.

In both Proposed Findings, which are identical in many areas, the Assistant Secretary stated that there was not enough evidence in the record at the time the Findings were issued to decide whether the two Tribes were in fact a single Tribe after 1973 or whether they were two separate communities. The Assistant Secretary did find that, whether there was one Tribe or two, there was enough evidence to give federal recognition. In reaching this conclusion, the Secretary placed great weight on the fact that the Eastern Pequots at the Lantern Hill Reservation had been recognized by the State of Connecticut since colonial times. The Tribes and other interested parties were invited to provide more evidence during the comment period on the question of whether there were in fact two separate Tribes.

Under Bureau of Indian Affairs regulations, there is a comment period that runs for 180 days after the date on which the Proposed Findings are published in the Federal Register. No final decision will be issued until the comment period has ended. The towns of Ledyard, Preston and North Stonington are contesting the proposed findings.