Displaying items tagged: Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians

Tribal affairs experts say the federal government erred in determining that the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians failed to meet the criteria for federal recognition and remain optimistic that the tribe will successfully obtain the crucial designation.

GRAND RAPIDS — The U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed denying a decades-long effort by the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians to obtain federal recognition, a status that would bring numerous benefits to the tribe and its members.

GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians will have to wait at least another four months before the tribe hears from the U.S. Department of the Interior about its petition for federal acknowledgement.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she is unable to approve the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians’ proposed $180 million off-reservation casino project in Fruitport Township near Muskegon. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently appealed to the U.S. Department of the Interior for help in resolving an “unworkable” timeline as two tribes separately make economic development efforts.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer finds herself in a “particularly unworkable” situation regarding two American Indian tribes in West Michigan, Tribal Business News reports. 

GRAND RAPIDS — U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters are calling on the Department of the Interior to swiftly issue findings on the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians’ petition for federal recognition, which has been in process for 27 years. 

GRAND RAPIDS — One would be hard pressed to deny the existence of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, whose ancestors were signatories of numerous agreements with the federal government, starting in 1795 with the Treaty of Greenville.