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Man building his own off-ramp to smoke shop to protest legal battle

A man is building what appears to be his own off ramp on a New York highway that leads to his smoke shop.

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IRVING, N.Y. — A man is building what appears to be his own off ramp on a New York highway that leads to his smoke shop.

Eric White is a member of the Seneca Indian Tribe and owns the “Big Indian Smoke Shop” in Irving, New York.

He is reportedly building the ramp as part of a personal protest after losing a legal battle with the state over allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes.

The Federal Highway Administration is looking into the matter.

A spokesperson with the agency said it typically needs to approve any new ramps to an interstate, but is not sure how that policy applies to tribal land.

White has not yet commented on the issue, but his attorney said “Mr. White believes there is no valid easement that the thruway has over sovereign territory.”

The Seneca Nation said it has no role whatsoever in what is taking place.

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