![](https://www.indianz.com/News/2016/10/26/badriverbandpowwowjim.jpg)
A Bad River Band powwow. Photo by Jim
Landowners from the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians are being offered $6.6 million as part of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. The Interior Department sent offers to nearly 3,000 owners of fractional interests on the reservation in Wisconsin. Interested sellers have until December 15 to accept. “The Buy-Back Program is an example of this administration’s commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty and providing opportunities for tribal communities for generations to come,” Deputy Secretary Michael Connor, the second-in-command at Interior, said in a press release on Wednesday. “I am proud of the work our teams are doing every day to ensure that tribal governments and landowners have the information and resources they need to realize the potential of this unique opportunity.” The $3.4 billion settlement to the Indian trust fund lawsuit set aside $1.9 billion for the buy-back program. Individual Indians are offered "fair market value" for their fractional interests. Participation is entirely voluntarily and any interests that are acquired are transferred to tribal governments. As of September 28, more than 45,000 landowners have been paid more than $898.5 million for their factional interests. The equivalent of more than 1.6 million acres has been transferred to tribes as a result. Offers started going out in late 2013 and 44 percent have been accepted nationwide, according to Interior. If the sales continue at the current rate, the $1.9 billion land consolidation fund will run out before the 10-year deadline anticipated by the settlement. The Obama administration has been studying ways to continue the effort.
Join the Conversation
Related Stories
Landowners
from Turtle Mountain Band see nearly $18M in Cobell offers (10/11)Landowners from Lower Brule Sioux Tribe see $11M in Cobell buy-back offers (09/22)
Fond du Lac Band reports success with land-buy back program (09/09)
Three more tribes enter into Cobell Land Buy-Back agreements (9/8)
Ponca Tribe landowners see $7M in offers through Cobell program (08/18)
Colville Tribes expect Cobell buy-back offers for landowners in fall (08/12)
Navajo Nation dispels strange rumor about Cobell land buy-back effort (07/19)
Landowners on two reservations see $70M from Cobell program (07/14)
Yakama Nation expecting to see $30M in Cobell buy-back offers (7/14)
Navajo Nation landowners offered $260M under Cobell program (7/12)
Navajo Nation landowners offered $56M so far in Cobell program (06/09)
Three tribes enter cooperative agreements for buy-back program (05/25)
Cobell buy-back program set to run out of funds before deadline (05/18)
Another 63 reservations added to Cobell land buy-back efforts (5/17)
Interior Department sends $6M in buy-back offers to landowners on Round Valley Reservation (05/09)
Blackfeet Nation to see $107M from Cobell land buy-back program (05/04)
Blackfeet Nation welcomes Interior Secretary Jewell to homeland (5/2)
Kevin Washburn: Land buy-back program benefits Indian Country (5/2)
Three more tribes enter into cooperative agreements for Cobell land buy-back program (04/21)
Harlan McKosato: Cobell buy-back program tackles fractionation (03/21)
Fond du Lac Band sees $3.8M in offers from Cobell land buyback (3/15)
Kevin Washburn: Cobell buy-back program helps Indian Country (03/02)
Top DOI officials in New Mexico for land buy-back listening session (3/1)
Muscogee Nation looking to sign Cobell land buy-back agreement (02/01)
Fond du Lac Band expects $7.8M in Cobell land buy-back offers (01/12)
Cobell plaintiffs offer update on distribution of settlement funds (01/06)
DOI signs Cobell buy-back agreements with two more tribes (12/16)
DOI schedules listening session for Cobell Land Buy-Back Program (12/08)
Landowners on Lummi Nation see $4M in Cobell buyback offers (11/17)
Landowners from Swinomish Tribe see $3.8M for Cobell buy-back (10/27)
Colville Tribes expect to see $27.7M in Cobell buy-back offers (10/26)
Quinault Nation to see $19M from Cobell land buy-back program (09/21)
DOI signs five more cooperative agreements for Cobell land buy-back program (09/15)
Native Sun News: Lower Brule landowners will see Cobell offers (09/10)
Native Sun News: Lower Brule Sioux Tribe misses Cobell deadline (08/28)
Land buy-back hits milestone with over $500M in purchases (06/26)
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes see 4K acres from buy-back (06/18)
Landowners on Fort Peck Reservation see $54M in Cobell offers (06/11)
DOI sends over $230M in offers to Indian landowners in Montana (6/8)
Osage Nation expects to see offers from land buy-back program (05/28)
Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation sees $150M in land offers (05/07)
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe prepares for Cobell buy-back offers (04/28)
Navajo Nation signs buy-back cooperative agreement with DOI (04/15)
Standing Rock Sioux Reservation sees $195M in buyback offers (04/06)
Navajo Nation considers agreement for land-buy back program (03/30)
DOI sends another $34M in offers on Rosebud Sioux Reservation (03/24)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe seeks owners for buy-back program (3/19)
Lummi Nation signs cooperative agreement for Cobell buy-back (03/09)
DOI schedules listening session on buy-back program in Arizona (03/03)
Deadlines approaching for over $100M in land buy-back offers (02/24)
DOI signs land buy-back cooperative agreements with two tribes (01/30)
Osage Nation expects to see $7.4M in Cobell consolidation offers (1/27)
DOI sends $20M in land-buy back offers on Salt River Reservation (01/16)
DOI signs land buy-back agreements with Washington tribes (1/13) Umatilla Tribes acquire 4K acres with Cobell buy-back program (12/23)
DOI makes $9M in buy-back offers on Coeur d'Alene Reservation (12/17)
DOI sends $1.5M in buyback offers on Squaxin Island Reservation (12/10)
Michael Connor: Making strides with Cobell land buy-back program (12/04)
ICT interview with DOI deputy secretary on Cobell buy-backs (11/21)
DOI issues status report on Cobell land consolidation program (11/20)
DOI official to give update on Cobell land consolidation program (11/19)
DOI expects 30 percent response rate on Cobell buyback offers (10/27)
DOI makes $63.5M in land offers on Lake Traverse Reservation (10/10)
DOI sends $298M in offers to landowners on Crow Reservation (10/6)
Montana tribe expects a second round of Cobell buy-back offers (09/26)
DOI offers $9.4M for Cobell buy-backs on Umatilla Reservation (09/16)
Cobell buy-back program includes base offer of $75 for interests (09/10)
DOI expands Cobell buy-back program to four more reservations (9/8)
Gila River Indian Community to see $77.6M from Cobell buy-back (08/29)
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)
Kevin Washburn: Buyback program strengthens tribal relations (12/20)
Audio from SCIA hearing for Cobell land consolidation program (12/11)
Oglala Sioux Tribe enters agreement for land consolidation (12/10)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee sets hearing on land buyback (12/9)
Native Sun News: Oglala Sioux Tribe launches buyback program (12/3)
Gabe Galanda: More problems in DOI's land buy-back plan (11/12)
Appraisal Foundation reviews Cobell land consolidation plans (11/8)