WASHINGTON -- The federal government has rejected a land claim application from the Cayuga Indian Nation.

The Nation was trying to put land from Cayuga and Seneca Counties into a federal trust, which takes it off the tax rolls.

The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs says the application was incomplete, and did not address all the requirements. The decision does not stop the cayuga nation from submitting a new application.

The Department of the Interior says the Cayuga Nation wanted the land in trust for gaming purposes.

Senator Charles Schumer has been fighting the application. He released a statement Tuesday saying "For years, this application to take land into trust has hung like a dark cloud over Cayuga and Seneca counties. Today, with this decision, the skies just got a bit clearer."