A large swath of trees has been cut down and removed, and a dirt path was created several hundred yards into the parcel, which is south of Route 37 next to the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Fire Department station.

A high pile of surface material was deposited in the middle of the forest path.

COMBINING SUITS

In the news release, Stewart states that Syracuse attorney Judith Sayles, who represents Franklin County’s interests in the long-standing federal land-claims lawsuit, has filed a motion asking the court to take jurisdiction of the Wuersching-deeded land as part of that larger lawsuit.

Apparently, no decision on that motion has been made.

PROPOSAL REJECTED

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the state and the Mohawks in October 2005 that would have given the tribe about one-third of the land mass of Fort Covington, two islands in the St. Lawrence River, cheap electrical power, $100 million in cash and the chance to purchase property adjacent to the reservation from willing parties.

In exchange, the Mohawks would have dropped their land-claim lawsuits and a challenge made to the relicensing of the New York Power Authority before the State Public Service Commission.

Within that deal, Franklin County would have received payment of the roughly $4 million that it has paid in taxes on the disputed lands since the Mohawk land-claims lawsuit was filed more than 25 years ago.

The county would have also been paid for any future parcels taken off the tax rolls, if they were purchased by an Indian, since they are tax-exempt.

Franklin County opposed the pact, saying the proposed compensation was not enough and that the deal did not address the tax impact on school districts.

The other parties named in the federal lawsuit, including the Town of Fort Covington, the Town of Bombay, St. Lawrence County, the Town of Massena and the Town of Brasher, also rejected the proposal.