Hearing On Reservation Property Doesn’t Solve Dispute

A property dispute on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation underwent a public airing, but appears no closer to being solved.

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, held a Wednesday hearing in Lewiston, but added he still is uncertain whether the federal government should get involved any deeper.

The dispute involves about eight acres of land south of Kamiah. Several non-Indians claim ownership, saying they paid for the property in good faith.

But because of a survey error, the property lines recognized by the U.S. bureaus of Indian Affairs and Land Management do not match those on the ground.

Reynold Allgood, one of several non-Indians laying claim to property, said the issue has come to a head because the BLM failed to do its job 42 years ago by not finishing a survey with the installation of boundary markers.

“The government misled all parties involved in this dispute,” Allgood said.

Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Samuel Penney testified the issue has been blown out of proportion and called upon Indian Affairs to do its job and resolve the issue.

There had been reports prior to Craig calling for a hearing that Indian Affairs was poised to declare tribal heirs the rightful owners and issue trespass notices to the non-Indians involved.

Craig requested the agency not take action until after his hearing.

He told the audience his hearing will remain officially open for one more week to accept written testimony.

The Indian heirs who lay claim to the ground are represented by Idaho Legal Aid Services, as well as Idaho law school interns Robert Romero and Bruce Briseno.