The Bureau of Indian Affairs has changed its mind on a land consolidation for the Shoshone Paiute Tribes.

Stan Speaks, the director for the BIA's Northwest Region, approved a transfer of 26 acres of allotted land to the tribe last December. But the final documents never came because an attorney with the Office of the Solicitor at the Interior Department in Washington, D.C., said the deal violated federal law.

"We have the perfect example of the old tactic of making promises to tribes, then on down the road, they take this land away from us," Chairman Terry Gibson told the Associated Press. "It's not like they'll be doing us some great favor by giving us our land back. But for them to make it as difficult as they can, I don't think that's proper."

The deal would have allowed 53 acres to stay with the descendents of Wallace Bruce Ogg, who was allotted a total of 80 acres near Boise, Idaho. The land is off a major interstate.

The tribe is based on the Duck Valley Reservation in Idaho and Nevada.

Get the Story:
Feds reneged on land deal with tribe (AP 8/10)

Related Stories:
BIA took large administrative fee for Quapaw land consolidation (8/5)