Reading Room Document
Opinion from this Office relating to the Mescalero Apache tribe's need for additional land for their ski resort.
The document is a response to a request for an opinion on whether 2200 acres of land in the Lincoln National Forest can be removed for leasing to the Mescalero Apache tribe for a ski resort. The conclusion reached is that the land can be removed from the national forest and leased to the tribe, as it does not violate any laws. The document also discusses the eligibility of the tribe as a recipient for the lease and concludes that the tribe qualifies as a municipality and a municipal corporation, making it lawful for the Department of the Interior to lease the land to the tribe for the ski resort. The questions presented for review include the legality of removing the land from the national forest and the eligibility of the tribe for the lease.
The OLC's Opinions
Opinions published by the OLC, including those released in response to our FOIA lawsuit