The tribe is partnering with the Empire Resorts on the $600 million casino in New York that will meet the U.S. Green Building Council' certification process.

As part of their culture many Native American tribes have placed importance on minimizing their environmental footprint, and now that so many tribes are in the casino business, it follows that building green would become a priority. Casinos, which are flush with electricity-guzzling lights, slot machines and other arcade style games don't naturally come to mind as sustainable enterprises. The builders must be going through significant hoops to meet the green building codes.

Here's a question -- do state or federal green building codes and environmental laws apply on reservations?