The town of Charlestown is the only community in Rhode Island within which Settlement Lands of the Narragansett Indian Tribe are located. Those lands presently are the subject of disputes over the extent to which they should be subject to the laws of Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition, pursuing its mandate to protect the quality of life in the region, is closely monitoring developments because of concerns for the possibility that a gambling casino or other large-scale commercial development may be proposed on settlement lands in Charlestown.

The lands are regulated in their use by applicable federal and state laws, including the federal Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1978, which states that the settlement lands shall be subject to the civil and criminal laws and jurisdiction of the State of Rhode Island.? These settlement lands are held in trust by the federal government for the benefit of the Narragansett Indian Tribe. As a federally recognized tribe, the Narragansetts may participate in many federal programs. The tribe currently is seeking to complete the development of 12 housing units under a Department of Housing and Urban Development program. In a recent decision, a Federal District Court judge in Rhode Island ruled that the land in this housing development is outside the jurisdiction of Rhode Island. Both the state and the Town of Charlestown have appealed that ruling.

In addition, the Narragansett Indian Tribe has re-filed deeds for settlement lands to drop language acknowledging that the laws of the State of Rhode Island apply to the lands. Both the Town of Charlestown and the State of Rhode Island have challenged the re-filed deeds in court. The Narragansetts have a total of about 1,800 acres in settlement lands in Charlestown, with about half the land covered by conservation easements that place additional restrictions on land use.

RISC and its members will continue to monitor closely all the legal proceedings. RISC is currently developing a working relationship with town officials for the purpose of providing timely and accurate information about its public positions. As the process of resolving these disputes move forward, RISC intends to issue timely updates to its members relating to the general concerns, the decisions of the courts and the anticipated impacts of any developments.

RISC is represented by Attorney Bruce Goodsell, who was special counsel for Indian Affairs for the Town of Charlestown for a period spanning 14 years.