Yellow Bear Dam on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Photo by Alf Leftwich

The Interior Department continues to implement the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe had until May 2 to respond to offers. But that deadline has been extended to July 21.

So far, DOI has made offers to more than 18,000 tribal members, according to a press release. That represents about 80 percent of the total landowners on the reservation, so nearly everyone is benefiting from the program.

The $3.4 billion Cobell settlement authorized $1.9 billion for land consolidation. DOI is using the money to buy fractionated interests from landowners in order to return the land to tribal governments.

Federal Register Notice:
Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations Under Cobell Settlement (April 30, 2014)

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