Saturday, January 9, 2010

Update on Pechanga Water Rights Bill; Still no Meeting With Dept. of Interior's Pamela Williams

Pechanga Water Rights Bill is still an issue for Temecula Indians who have sent requests to meet with Pamela Williams, lead negotiator for the Department of the Interior to share their concerns that almost 200 allottees and descendents have not been heard.  Ms. Williams, what is keeping you from contacting us?    And the fact that Pechanga Chairman Macarro was subject of a recall attempt should be of particular interest to you.    The group from the CPP that led the recall attempt wants that water rights money for themselves, when that is for ALL Temecula Indian allottees, NOT JUST PECHANGA members.   Please Pamela, call.

With the election taking attention away, we hope that the Department of the Interior will now find time to meet with Temecula Indians who are in danger of being on the outside looking in while negotiations over their water could be under control of a tribe that ousted them from membership. Namely, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, led by Mark Macarro.

Here is a link to TESTIMONY.

I. The Department of the Interior and Pechanga Band Failed to Notify Allottees of the Negotiations to Settle Water Rights

2. After several requests, the Department has not allowed us to participate in Negotiations

3. Pechanga Tribal Officials do not Represent the Interests of all Temecula Indians or Temecula Indian Allottees

4. Temecula Indian and Temecula Indian Allottees should be Parties to the Settlement Negotiations and consulted regarding pending Acts of Congress

5. Prior to any action, HR 5413, and other Acts, should be Amended to Reflect the Ownership Interests and Water Rights Due Temecula Indians and Temecula Indian Allottees not represented by Pechanga Tribal Officials

6. The term ‘Tribal Water Right’ should be Amended to Reflect Benefit for Temecula Band and Temecula Indian Allottees

7. Entitlement to Water Shall be Satisfied by the Department of the Interior, the Temecula Band, or the Pechanga Band; and Temecula Indians and/or Temecula Indian Allottees shall not be Subject to the Pechanga Water Code or other Pechanga Band laws

Additionally, it would be pre-mature and irresponsible to approve HR 5413 in its current form as a large group of affected water rights owners, namely Temecula Indians and Temecula Indian Allottees, have been denied the right to participate in the settlement negotiations.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you saying they might give the money to the tribe still?

Anonymous said...

That's what I'd take from it. The tribe would get 50 MILLION DOLLARS and people like ED BURBEE would want his hands on that.

Yet hundreds who have land, including Tosobols would be left out.

Anonymous said...

Burbee is a greedy little man, who has helped put Pechanga on a path to destruction.

Anonymous said...

He is not a man he is a potato that is why his really name is Mr. Potato Head!

OPechanga said...

Pechanga FAILED to achieve their goal of total dominance over allottees.... THIS TIME.

Be vocal... tell the story.

Anonymous said...

Don't expect a response until after the new year. Most staffers are done for the year.

Anonymous said...

For the record; It's not about the money, it's about having water for the future. If you read the Bill you'll see the money goes to RCWD and MWD for infrastructure improvements so that the delivery of water to the reservation can be settled. Also, no money as part of the settlement can be used for per-capita. The people took issue with the fact the council moved forward with a Bill that the tribal members never seen nor authorized.

Anonymous said...

Allottees were never notified either. The money should be for allottees and landowners.

Not for Burbee and Basquez. The tribe is letting Macarro run wild. Changing lobbyists to his wife's company shouldn't have happened without the vote of the people.

Time for an audit, maybe?

Anonymous said...

Pamela Where ARE YOU??

Anonymous said...

She is in Bed with Mark