The state Senate will hold public hearings on legislation proposed last week by Gov. George Pataki to settle five Indian land claims and authorize the construction of five casinos in the Catskills.

One hearing is scheduled to be held in Albany later this month and one will be held in March in Sullivan County, the proposed site of up to five casinos.

State Sen. Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Rensselaer County, said additional hearings may be scheduled in other areas of the state.

State Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Seneca Falls, will push for a hearing to be scheduled in Central New York."Sen. Bruno's announcement was based on a request I had for hearings on this issue," Nozzolio said.

"I've aggressively sought the Senate to have hearings. It was very important to me to have hearings. I didn't want this measure to be railroaded through without full public scrutiny."

Nozzolio sits on the Racing, Gaming and Wagering committee, one of three Senate committees with jurisdiction over the bill.

The hearings will be held jointly by the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, the committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development and the committee on Tourism, Recreation and Sports Development. "Casinos could produce a tremendous amount of revenue for state and local government to help fund education, health care, infrastructure needs and to help keep down taxes," Bruno said. "But there are also many questions about the impact of casinos on local communities ... it's important that we reach out to gather more information and input before we take any action."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, called for the state Assembly to hold public hearings on the legislation earlier this week.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net