Camp 4 Land Transfer Agreement Back in Force

The drama has ended surrounding Camp 4, which was once again joined to the existing Chumash reservation in the Santa Ynez Valley on Monday. The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ decision to grant the land transfer was affirmed by the current assistant secretary, Tara Mac Lean Sweeney, who signed it on February 25. She also dismissed all appeals. Nancy Crawford-Hall, whose family owned Camp 4 before selling it to Fess Parker, had successfully charged that the deputy who signed off on the decision was not empowered to do so at the time, bringing the decision back before the BIA.

Crawford-Hall’s Motion for Summary Judgment, brought by attorney Barry Cappello, was the only proceeding of the original eight appellants to get to a court hearing; five appellants were dismissed for a lack of standing to bring suit, and the county withdrew its appeal when it reached an agreement with the tribe. U.S. Central District Judge Stephen Wilson upheld Cappello’s challenge on the deputy’s signature on February 13, but Sweeney simply did what her predecessor had done, reviewed the case and agreed with the original decision. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and the County of Santa Barbara’s agreement regarding revenue and setbacks is also back in force.

Chumash tribal chairman Kenneth Kahn termed the Central District Court’s decision a “technicality.” He said in a written statement that “There was never any concern about the merits of the application itself. Assistant Secretary Sweeney’s swift action and subsequent signature confirms that.” The tribe also asserted the environmental assessment had been thorough and that the findings of “no significant impact” had followed strict federal National Environmental Policy Act guidelines.