North Dakota state officials spoke out against the proposed return of land to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation at a public hearing on Tuesday.

State officials said the return of up to 36,000 acres to the tribe would affect recreation and hunting on Lake Sakakawea, where the land in question is located. Gov. John Hoeven (R) said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doesn't have the authority to make the transfer.

Tribal members pointed out that the land is located within the reservation. They also noted that they lost 156,000 acres when the lake was created when the Garrison Dam was built in the 1950s.

The Army Corps is overseeing the proposed transfer. Two more hearings are being held this week.

Get the Story:
Giving tribal land back meets resistance (The Bismarck Tribune 5/25)
Hoeven: Corps doesn't have legal authority to transfer lake land (AP 5/25)

Relevant Links:
Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation - http://www.mhanation.com

Related Stories:
Army Corps holds hearings on return of land to tribe (5/24)
Proposal would return land to North Dakota tribe (04/27)
North Dakota tribe seeks return of land lost to dam (03/01)
N.D. tribe asks Congress to fulfill 50-year-old promise (06/13)