A tribal government building on the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. Photo from Facebook
Landowners on the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona have been offered $77.6 million for their fractionated interests as part of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. The offers were announced by the Interior Department. Responses are due October 10, deputy secretary Michael Connor said in a press release. Participation is entirely voluntary. But if every offer is accepted, Gila River will see a significant influx of cash -- although the offer pool isn't as large as the $100 million that went out to landowners on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. A total of $19.2 million in offers went out to landowners on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. Responses are due October 17. The $3.4 billion Cobell settlement provided $1.9 billion for Indian landowners who want to sell their fractionated interests. DOI will pay "fair market value" as required by the Indian Land Consolidation Act. Since the program started last winter, DOI has successfully concluded $97 million in transactions. Nearly 265,000 acres have been transferred to tribal governments. Get the Story:
Government makes buy-back offers on Indian lands (AP 8/29)
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