Placing the land into a federal trust status is necessary for the tribe to conduct gaming on the land and proceed with compact negotiations with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Amador County and the grassroots group “No Casino In Plymouth” continue their legal battle against the tribe’s Plymouth casino plan and now Amador County has responded to federal inquires regarding the county’s position on the land in question. The county’s response, dated yesterday, states that the county understands its duty to represent and advocate for the protection of the safety, public health and quality of life of all citizens in the county. The letter addresses the issues of Indian Gaming and its impacts on the county head on, stating that the impacts of the currently operating tribal casino here in the county are a substantial drain on the county coffers and that the addition of another such gaming enterprise, let alone two such operations, would overwhelm the county and its taxpayers financially, as well as create adverse impacts on the environment. In stating opposition to the application for gaming on the parcel in Plymouth, the county states that regardless if the casino is located in an incorporated town or in the unincorporated county it is the County, and county agencies, that will provide most services to the project. Services such as law enforcement, fire and emergency services, building, planning, animal control, social services, district attorney, etc. 

The county emphasizes the burden of cost, time and personnel that a large gaming operation would pose to all services. According to the Ione Band’s application the land is zoned commercially- the county corrects this stating that 218 acres of the land is zoned single family residential/agricultural and not suited for a gaming operation in terms of land use issues. The county also reiterated their legal claims, and the basis of their lawsuit over the project, that the tribe has always been recognized and therefore cannot claim to be a restored tribe to recognition by the federal government or a tribe that is eligible to have restored lands. The lands, declared restored by the Department of the Interior, is a key point that allows for the casino project to move forward. The County restates their position that the Plymouth parcels are not the restored lands of the tribe under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and therefore can not be obtained just for the purpose of gaming enterprises. Also, the county is asking the Secretary of the Interior to require an Environmental Impact Statement from the tribe, as well as an economic benefit plan; and to consider the substantial loss of property and other tax revenue to the county.