Jewell

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT; DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Re: Dkt. Nos. 185, 186

In the earlier part of the twentieth century, the United States government passed a series of laws affecting its relationship with the indigenous inhabitants of California and their descendants. One of those laws, the Indian Appropriations Act of 1906, permitted the Secretary of the Interior (the “Secretary”) to purchase parcels of land, or “rancherías,” throughout the state for use by California Indians. 1 Fifty *932 years later, Congress enacted another law, the California Ranchería Act of 1958 (“CRA”), which authorized the Secretary to dissolve the same rancherías it had previously authorized.

At issue in this action is the termination and distribution of one of those rancherías, the Alexander Valley Ranchería (the “Ranchería”), which, when it existed, was located in Sonoma County. Plaintiff The Mishewal Wappo Tribe of Alexander Valley (“Plaintiff’) alleges in this action against Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Assistant Secretary of the Interior Kevin Washburn 2 (“the “Federal Defendants”) that, the process utilized by the Secretary to…