A tribal government building on the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. Photo from Facebook

Landowners on the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona have been offered $77.6 million for their fractionated interests as part of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations.

The offers were announced by the Interior Department. Responses are due October 10, deputy secretary Michael Connor said in a press release.

Participation is entirely voluntary. But if every offer is accepted, Gila River will see a significant influx of cash -- although the offer pool isn't as large as the $100 million that went out to landowners on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

A total of $19.2 million in offers went out to landowners on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. Responses are due October 17.

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

Since the program started last winter, DOI has successfully concluded $97 million in transactions. Nearly 265,000 acres have been transferred to tribal governments.

Get the Story:
Government makes buy-back offers on Indian lands (AP 8/29)

Related Stories:
DOI extends $100M in Cobell buy-back offers on two reservations (8/28)
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes see $7.4M for buyback (08/21)
Deadline approaches for buyback on Rosebud Sioux Reservation (08/05)
Audio from House subcommittee hearing on five tribal measures (07/29)
Jay Daniels: Land consolidation program isn't really working (07/22)
Cobell buy-back agreements come with little money for tribes (07/17)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe signs agreement for Cobell buy-back (07/16)
DOI enters Cobell land buy-back agreements with Montana tribes (07/09)
Rep. Daines introduces bill for tribal control of Cobell buy-back (07/03)
SDPR: Buy-back program offers $50M on Rosebud Reservation (06/27)
DOI sends out $50M in buy-back offers on Rosebud Reservation (6/25)
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes waiting on appraisals (06/19)
Coeur d'Alene Tribe waiting on appraisals for Cobell buy-back (06/13)
DOI allocates $4.1M on Cobell buy-back for Coeur d'Alene Tribe (6/11)
DOI plans to spend $12M in buy-back funds for Umatilla Tribes (6/10)
Lawmakers want tribes to run Cobell land buy-back program (6/6)
DOI enters Cobell buy-back agreements with three more tribes (05/29)
DOI sets agenda for Cobell buy-back listening session on May 29 (05/23)
DOI extends Cobell buy-back program on Pine Ridge Reservation (5/20)
DOI looks to spend $100M on Navajo Nation for Cobell buy-back (5/19)
DOI targets 21 reservations for next phase of Cobell buy-back (5/16)
DOI to announce next steps for Cobell land buy-back program (5/14)
DOI extends $1.6M buyback offers for Makah Nation landowners (05/09)
DOI to hold listening session on Cobell land buy-back program (04/30)
DOI looks to spend $2.55M on Makah Nation land buy-back (04/21)
Ten reservations account for biggest share of Cobell buyback (04/17)
DOI extends $1.2M in offers to Makah Reservation landowners (04/15)
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate reach agreement for Cobell buy-back (04/08)
Rep. Young open to an extension for Cobell buy-back program (4/4)
Audio from House subcommittee hearing on Cobell land buyback (4/3)
Larry Roberts: Answers about the Cobell land buy-back program (4/3)
DOI makes transfer of nearly $580K into Cobell scholarship fund (4/2)
Members of Oglala Sioux Tribe respond to Cobell buyback offers (3/28)
House subcommittee to hold hearing on land buy-back program (03/24)
DOI land buy-back boosts economy on Pine Ridge Reservation (03/19)
DOI announces $100M in land offers on Pine Ridge Reservation (3/18)
Deadline approaches for first Cobell land consolidation offers (1/27)