The Ramapough Lenape Native Americans got a little help from the feds with their ongoing lawsuit against Mahwah Township -- and they and another tribe gained legal recognition back from the state.

But don’t expect any casinos on tribe-owned land.

The state decided in 2012 that it would no longer recognize three New Jersey tribes: the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, Ramapough Lenape tribe and Powhatan-Renape nations.

The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape sued the state saying its decision was motivated by racial stereotypes and an irrational fear that the tribes would try to build casinos.

The state settled with the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape in November and promised to give the other two tribes back their recognition, as well. That happened this week when State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced that the Ramapough and Powhatan-Renape were granted recognition dating back to 1980.

The recognition means that they can sell traditional arts and crafts labeled as “American Indian-made,” and it entitles members to grants, scholarships and other services through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development and the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.

The settlement also very clearly denounces casinos. “Both tribes specifically disclaim any interest in casino gaming rights under the settlement, and the parties agree that official state recognition does not provide the tribes with federal casino gaming rights,” the announcement said.

In an unrelated court case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey filed a Statement of Interest in a religious land use case that the Ramapough’s filed against the Township of Mahwah and the Ramapo Hunt & Polo Club, an association of homeowner’s whose million-dollar digs surround a Ramapough-owned prayer ground.

The Ramapoughs have been fighting with the town and the homeowners over use of the land, known as “Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp”

The town told the tribe it must stop using the 13-acre site for religious services and imposed $12,500 per day fines for violating the prohibition. The Ramapoughs had wracked up $1.45 million in fines by Sept. 2018.

The United States, in its Statement of Interest, argued that the township has imposed a substantial burden on the Rampough’s religious exercise without adequate justification, and has not treated its use of the land equally with nonreligious uses of land. The statement of Interest further argues that those claims, which allege that the township’s conduct has “significantly chilled Ramapough’s use of the land for religious purposes,” are ripe for consideration by the court.

Mahwah Mayor John Roth declined to comment on the filing.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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