Won't Touch Indian Land

NEW YORK (AP) - The State Power Authority will fire an application immediately for federal permission to build the reservoir for its Niagara power project without using any of the land of the Tuscarora Indian reservation.

Authority chairman Robert Moses said:

"The prospect of obtaining a clear-cut determination as to the use of Indian land now is hopeless remote."

Moses made the statement Thursday night as the authority announced it was applying to the Federal Power Commission for approval of the revised reservoir plans.

Moses said an "inept defence" by the commission had enabled the Tuscaroras to block the use of part of their land for a 60,000-acre-foot reservoir. The reservoir was included in the authority's federal licence for the 1,800,000-kilowatt Niagara power project.

The revised plans call for a less extensive reservoir, but 10 feet higher in order to limit the loss of power potential.

The power authority had offered the Tuscaroras $3,000,000 for the 1,383 acres of reservation land if [proposed to take some for its reservoir. But the Indians don't want to sell].