Tribe Votes to End Land Claim for $50 Million

The Catawba Indian tribe voted overwhelmingly to accept a proposed $50-million settlement with state and federal officials Saturday, moving closer to resolving a 144,000-acre tribal land claim.

The tribe approved the agreement on a 289-42 vote after a meeting at the Rock Hill Law Enforcement Center that lasted nearly three hours.

The settlement must still be approved by Congress and the state Legislature.

The tribe claims South Carolina failed to get required congressional approval when it bought 144,000 acres of Catawba land in 1840. At one point the tribe was preparing to sue 61,767 individual landowners over the dispute.

The tentative settlement would require the tribe to relinquish some of its self-governing rights in exchange for the money, most of which would come from state and federal governments.

Tribe members who opposed the settlement said it relinquishes too much power to state authorities. The tribe would have only limited authority in major criminal, civil and regulatory matters.

Most tribes are recognized by Congress as self-governing nations that operate within federal guidelines and are not controlled by state laws, Assistant Chief Fred Sanders said.

But others said long-term economic benefits outweigh the tribe’s loss of autonomy.