A view of the Crow Reservation in Montana. Photo from Facebook
The Interior Department has sent out more than $298 million in offers to landowners on the Crow Reservation in Montana. The offers were made to more than 4,000 landowners as part of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. Participation is voluntary and any interests that are acquired will be transferred to the Crow tribal government. “Today’s announcement continues the Buy-Back Program’s momentum, and our commitment to reach as many interested landowners as possible across Indian Country,” Deputy Secretary Michael Connor said in a press release. “Payments through program sales are making a significant difference for individuals, families and their communities. We will continue to work closely with tribal representatives to ensure that individuals are aware of this historic opportunity.” The Crow Tribe will host an outreach event this Thursday to discuss the buy-back program. Landowners can ask questions about the offers, which have a deadline of November 21. 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 more than $144 million in transactions, according to the press release. Nearly 280,000 acres have been returned to tribes.
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