Onondaga Nation Sues For Land Rights In New York

The Onondaga Nation filed a lawsuit claiming ownership of 3,100 square miles of New York state, inculding one of the nation's most polluted lake.

1 minute read

April 1, 2005, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


The Onondaga Nation earlier this month filed a lawsuit claiming ownership of some 3,100 square miles of New York state, including Onondaga Lake in northwest Syracuse -- a large body of water to which the community claims to have ancestral connection. That lake also happens to be one of the most polluted in the country; once a source of trout and medicines, the lake was used for decades as a dump site for industrial wastes and is now a Superfund site awaiting cleanup. In their lawsuit, the Onondaga are not asking to uproot current residents or for monetary compensation; instead, they want the right to influence major policy decisions regarding the environment of their ancestral lands, as well as increased agricultural and housing opportunities and the ability to protect ancestors' gravesites. The Onondagas feel they were not properly consulted before the state's announcement of a $448 million lake cleanup proposal, which they believe is inadequate. "This is our home, this is where our history is, and it was treated as a trash dump," said Brad Powless, an Onondaga chief.

Thanks to Grist Magazine

Thursday, March 31, 2005 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight