The Onondaga Creek flows quietly through Tully. It’s a slow-moving stretch of water part of a settlement making waves. It’s the first time in New York state that a substantial portion of land has been returned to an Indian nation
In one of the largest land returns to an indigenous people in 200 years, the Onondaga Nation is recovering over a thousand acres of land. New York State and federal officials have signed a resolution directing Honeywell International, which was responsible for restoring land and waterways after dumping mercury and other chemicals into Onondaga Lake for decades, to turn over land that includes forest area and swampland to the Onondaga Nation.
Nation representatives say this historic deal is a chance to restore not only the natural ecosystem but tradition.
Joe Heath has served as the Onondaga Nation’s General Council for more than 40 years. “I still have a hard time believing that it’s come back to them after all the years they’ve worked on it,” Heath said. “This is historic.”
The Onondaga Nation is regaining two pieces of land in the Tully Valley. The thousand-plus acres total of land is representing a nearly 20 percent increase on the land they currently have recognized.
This all stems from a settlement with Honeywell International, which is now cleaning up Onondaga Lake and other waterways. The company is responsible for 18 restoration projects, including the Tully Valley land transfer.
The Nation is taking full ownership of this land with the goal of restoring the environment and native brook trout populations considered sacred.
Heath said, “It’s very important for them to return to that important cultural process.”
It will take about a year for the transfer of ownership to be complete.