An Alaska Native family has won a multi-million dollar judgment in a breach of trust lawsuit against the federal government.
Judge Nancy Firestone of the
Court of Federal Claims ruled that the
Bureau of Indian Affairs breached its trust responsibility to the Oenga family.
The Inupiat Eskimo family is owed at least $5 million for unauthorized oil development by
BP.
Additional money is owed for the use of the Oenga allotment but Firestone said she will need more evidence to determine the amount. The family is wiling to settle for $15 million.
"Earlier this month we made BP a fair offer -- pay what is owed and we will renegotiate the lease so they can use our land to produce from Raven and wherever else they want to drill. They haven't responded," family member Tony Delia told The Anchorage Daily News.
In response to the judge's decision, BP shut down its operation at the Raven site last Friday, the paper said. Raven produced about 25,000 barrels of oil in the month of November 2010.
Get the Story:
BP closes bit of Prudhoe Bay after setback in land dispute
(The Anchorage Daily News 1/5)
Court of Federal Claims Decisions:
Oenga
v. US (December 21, 2010) |
Oenga
v. US (September 18, 2008)
Related Stories:
Alaska Native family sues BIA over oil development
(5/18)
BIA tells oil company
to stop drilling on Inupiat land (1/19)
Join the Conversation
