UMVA has learned that the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has launched a scathing legal challenge against the City of Vallejo and its City Council, over the approvals granted for a proposed temporary casino backed by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
The lawsuit targets the city's approval of a crucial encroachment permit and a memorandum of understanding tied to the planned facility, alleging that Vallejo catastrophically failed to follow requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the tribe argues that city officials recklessly rushed ahead with the project without first completing the environmental analysis required under state law, instead relying on categorical exemptions that, according to the lawsuit, do not fit the scope of the proposed project.
The complaint also contends that the memorandum of understanding commits municipal services to Scotts Valley's 160-acre federal trust property before securing approval from the Solano Local Agency Formation Commission, a step the tribe says is mandated by state law.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the legal challenge arrives as federal officials continue reviewing the underlying gaming eligibility determination for the larger casino proposal, with the U.S. Department of the Interior reconsidering that determination and signaling concerns about the earlier approval process.
In a damning December letter, the department warned Scotts Valley that the original gaming eligibility determination may have involved "legal error" and that information submitted by local tribes and other interested parties "raises questions" about whether the site qualifies for gaming activities.
Yocha Dehe leaders say those unresolved questions make Vallejo's recent actions especially problematic, with Chairman Anthony Roberts stating, "The City of Vallejo's decision to rush into a Memorandum of Understanding for the Scotts Valley project while the federal government is actively reconsidering whether the project is legal in the first place completely disregards the rule of law and proper process."
The lawsuit follows scathing criticism of the project from California tribal governments that have raised concerns about the proposed casino and the process surrounding its approvals, citing environmental, legal, and jurisdictional questions that remain unresolved while federal review continues.
Despite the dispute, tribal leaders said their relationship with Vallejo residents and community organizations remains unchanged, with Secretary Mia Durham adding, "Our Tribe remains deeply committed to the many community partners, residents, and organizations we have worked alongside in Vallejo for decades."
A final decision from the Department of the Interior is expected by the end of July, a timeline the agency recently reaffirmed in a federal court filing, leaving the fate of the proposed casino hanging precariously in the balance.
