From left: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), Crow Nation Chairman Darrin Old Coyote and Montana Attorney General Tim Fox sign an agreement to resolve a long-running dispute over taxes on the tribe's mineral estate. Photo by Montana Department of Justice
The Crow Tribe and the state of Montana signed an agreement on Thursday to resolve a long-running tax dispute. The agreement allows the state to continue collecting taxes on coal extracted from the tribe's mineral estate. Going forward, the tribe will receive those revenues. In addition to the revenues, the settlement comes with a $15 million one-time payment to the tribe. The money will be used for economic development and water and sewer infrastructure on the reservation. "The enforceability of our water settlement, the resolution of the coal severance litigation and the payment of the $15 million will enable the Crow Nation to provide critical services to our tribal membership and will allow us to plan for the future of our Nation,” Chairman Darrin Old Coyote said in a press release. The agreement was negotiated as a result of the tribe's water rights settlement, which Congress ratified in 2010. A formal signing of that settlement took place in April 2012. Read More on the Story:
Crow, Montana settle dispute over taxing coal owned by tribe (AP 10/21)
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