Purchase of Land by Indian Tribe

Since all else has failed to date, the Halle Corporation, a Silver Spring, Maryland, based company, has one more trick up their sleeves. Their latest attempt to get the proposed landfill passed, has been to make a deal with an Oklahoma-based Indian Tribe, whereby the tribe would acquire the land and the proposed landfill owner would then operate the landfill. If the Bureau of Indian Affairs were to approve this request, the land would be exempt from county and state regulations. The Federal regulations concerning landfills are no where near as strict as county or state regulations. In addition, neither the State of Maryland or Anne Arundel County would get any revenues from this operation. In addition, there would always be the possibility that the tribe might open a casino on the property.

As of August 2005, the request is still sitting in the office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. No one knows if, or when, there may be a decision made on this issue.

Our Governor, County Executive, Senators, Delegates, and County Councilmen are all in opposition to this proposal.