Theodora Bird Bear: Oppose plan for Cobell land consolidation

Thursday, February 28, 2013  

Theodora Bird Bear urges Indian beneficiaries and their family members to object to the $1.9 billion land consolidation component of the Cobell trust fund settlement:

Right now, the feds are required to respond to any written comments submitted to them on the $1.9 billion Cobell settlement plan to buy your fractionated land and minerals. Tell the feds that you are keeping your land and minerals for your descendants. You're not selling.

Due to the comment deadline ending next week, individual tribal land and mineral owners—and their family members—should email or mail their comments NOW opposing this plan to purchase lands and minerals through a one-time payment based on a "mass estimate” of the value of both your fractionated lands and minerals. Under this expedited and rushed plan - due to an arbitrary 10-year deadline - no actual appraisal of your land and minerals will be done.

Your e-mailed or written comments objecting to this plan are needed by or before next Monday, March 4, 2013.

Get the Story:
Theodora Bird Bear: Time Is Running Out to Contact the Feds (Indian Country Today 2/28)

Deadline approaching for second round of Cobell settlement (2/25)