J. Conrad Seneca
Role at the time: President of the Seneca Nation of Indians
Defended or excused
Response to this claim
The 5 Miami Street site is sovereign Seneca Nation land, and the City of Buffalo has no authority to stop construction there.
“Our nearly four-acre site is sovereign land and was placed in Restricted Fee status by the Department of Interior three years ago, something that the City acknowledged in writing in 2023. Despite meeting with Sean Ryan and other City officials in person in early September to open dialogue between our governments, the City instead chose to fight the Nation over our sovereign rights on our land. I have made it clear that the proposed Seneca One Stop project will move forward and that the Seneca Nation will always fight to defend our sovereignty, our treaties, and our rights to create economic opportunity on our lands in the way we best see fit for the benefit of our people.”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)A message from President J.C. Seneca · Seneca Nation of IndiansParagraphs on the Seneca One Stop project
Why we used this label
The reference point is the Seneca Nation's construction of a fuel station at 5 Miami Street on land it holds in restricted fee, without the city permits and reviews Buffalo says are required. Seneca defends the construction as development on sovereign land with federal restricted-fee status, blames the city for choosing a fight, and says the project will move forward.