Federal representatives from New York are trying to get the U.S. government to be financially responsible for some of the possible effects of putting local land into trust.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, jointly announced this week that they have proposed legislation proposing that the federal government reimburse counties for any tax revenue lost as a result of a land trust decision.

Representatives from both Arcuri's and Schumer's offices said bills were introduced Tuesday in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources.

The announcement comes in the midst of a pending application by the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York to put approximately 130 acres of land in Seneca and Cayuga counties into federal trust. The application is currently being considered by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs.

If the land is taken into trust, it will come off the tax rolls. In a written statement, Schumer said that will take away revenue from schools, roads and other public services, and the taxpayers will have to close the gap. This will serve as a measure of protection if the trust is approved, he stated.

“The decision to take land into trust is a federal one, and the federal government should take responsibility to make up for the harm it can have on counties and local communities,” Schumer stated.

But Cayuga County Legislator George Fearon said this proposal only looks at one of the many potential impacts of putting that land into trust. The lost sales and excise taxes on items such as cigarettes sold at the Cayuga-owned convenience stores in Union Springs and Seneca Falls are “huge,” he said.

And there is the issue of maintaining an “equal playing field” for local businesses who have to pay those taxes, said Fearon, who represents the towns of Springport, Ledyard and Scipio in the Legislature.

Local, state and federal officials, as well as area residents, have also raised concerns over possible environmental and jurisdictional impacts that could result from trust land not being subject to local regulations.

“I appreciate their paying attention to it,” Fearon said of the proposed legislation.

“It doesn't solve some other major problems,” he continued. “I wouldn't want to make it like everything is OK by looking at just one problem.”

Arcuri Chief of Staff Sam Marchio said Tuesday that the congressman knows this is one piece of the puzzle. But the main objective here, Marchio said, has to do with sending a message to the Department of the Interior that these decisions directly affect the surrounding municipalities.

“In order for the federal government to truly understand what is at stake, it needs to see the dollars and cents on paper,” Marchio said.

He also said this proposed legislation is not an indication that the Cayuga Nation land trust application is expected to be accepted or denied. Arcuri has no way of knowing how the interior department will rule on the issue, Marchio said.

Schumer spokesperson Max Young reiterated that stance when discussing the senator's feelings on the land trust issue.

“(Schumer) has introduced this measure as a base-line measure of protection for the local counties,” Young said.

Schumer and Arcuri have been critical of the land trust proposal. They have also stated they believe a settlement reached by both parties is the best option.

The Department of the Interior stopped accepting public comments July 6 on a draft environmental impact statement about the land trust proposal. The draft statement said effects on the local environment, infrastructure and economy would be negligible at most.

The department will release a final impact statement before the Bureau of Indian Affairs rules on the land trust application.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.