A bill to place into trust around 720 acres of land considered sacred to the Pala Band of Mission Indians passed through the U.S. Senate unanimously this week and is now headed to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill — authored by California’s two Democratic senators, Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Fallbrook — will authorize Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to transfer 721 acres of land that were acquired by the Pala into trust for the benefit of the tribe and its members.
“The Pala Band of Mission Indians is an important and meaningful part of our Southern California community, and I know Pala will carry out its rightful stewardship in a way that will protect and preserve sacred lands,” Issa said. “We worked diligently to bring together supporters from across the aisle and from both houses of Congress, and this show of support is a tribute to the integrity of the Pala project.”
The land includes a sacred site known locally as Gregory Mountain or as Chokla in Luiseño. Chokla is next to Highway 76 and looms above the San Luis Rey River, the Pala Casino and an old quarry. A 20-year fight to build a landfill at its foot in Gregory Canyon was stopped in 2016 when the Pala Band of Mission Indians purchased a portion of the site for $13 million.
Source: https://thecoastnews.com/bill-to-preserve-pala-band-land-heads-to-bidens-desk/