Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - New Seneca Nation President Tina Abrams had some choice words for the State and City of Buffalo's lawsuits targeting Sovereign Seneca land just after taking office.
"I don't have no reason to meet with Mayor Ryan," Abrams said. "He's another one who needs to educate himself."
Abrams did not appear interested in opening a new dialogue with the City of Buffalo over the Seneca nation's planned gas station, currently under construction, on Ohio Street across from the Buffalo River.
The Mayor did not seem bothered by the idea of not having a meeting with Abrams.
"The courts will decide who has what rights," Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan told WBEN on Wednesday.
"Does the Seneca nation have to follow these environmental laws around toxic runoff going into the Buffalo River, do they have to follow the environmental laws of bringing toxic dirt through our neighborhoods, and do they have to come up with a traffic plan to figure out how to get people to come in and out of their mega gas station? That will be for the courts to decide."
The State of New York has recently filed lawsuits challenging the restricted-fee, sovereign status given to both the site of the proposed gas station in Buffalo, and a 200+ acre parcel of land on Grand Island.
"It's an attack on us," Abrams said. "It's an attack on our people, it's an attack on our sovereignty, and we're not going to put up with it."
"I'll always fight for our sovereignty. That fight will continue. I'm not going to let anybody push us around," Abrams said. "I'm willing to meet with (Governor Kathy Hochul), but she's got to educate herself."
Dispute remains over downtown gas station on sovereign land
Dispute remains over downtown gas station on sovereign land
