A view of the Fond du Lac Reservation in Minnesota. Photo from Fond du Lac Band

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in Wisconsin held a kick-off meeting on Monday night for the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations.

Tribal members are expected to see about $7.8 million in offers for their fractional interests, WDIO reported. Any land that is acquired through the program will be transferred to the tribal government.

"The Fond du Lac Band is working closely with the Buy-Back Program and anticipates that purchase offers will begin going out to landowners [in] Spring 2016," Chairman Wally Dupuis said in a letter to the membership.

The $3.4 billion Cobell settlement provided $1.9 billion for Indian landowners who want to sell their fractionated interests. The Interior Department will pay "fair market value" as required by the Indian Land Consolidation Act.

As of January 8, the department has made nearly $1.8 billion in offers. Nearly 32,000 landowners have accepted and have received more than $733 million for their interests. The equivalent of nearly 1.5 million acres has been transferred to tribal governments.

Get the Story:
Fond du Lac Participates in Land Buyback Program (WDIO 1/11)

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