The developing conflict between the City of Buffalo and Seneca Nation took another turn Thursday, when the City announced a lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Department of Interior and other federal departments.
The lawsuit — separate from Wednesday's lawsuit filed against those actively developing the land — challenges a 2023 U.S. Department of Interior decision, which placed the parcel into restricted-fee status.
"The City is asking the federal court to review and provide clarity on the Department of the Interior’s decision," Corporation Counsel Rosa Alina Pizzi said in a press release. "We believe this action is important to the City’s ability to protect the natural and built environment of our communities through municipal zoning, planning, and permitting processes."
The 2023 decision was cited by Seneca Nation President JC Seneca when justifying the nation's advancements with developing the land.
The defendants named in the lawsuit are: the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the United States Secretary of the Interior, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, and the United States of America.
The City will hold a press conference this afternoon to discuss this new lawsuit.