Subscribe

Email Updates
Sign up to stay informed about the latest happenings at Interior.

Subscribe

Sign up to stay informed about the latest happenings at Interior.
Email Updates
Sign up to stay informed about the latest happenings at Interior.
Share

Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations



The Secretary of the Interior established the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations (Buy-Back Program) to implement the land consolidation provisions of the Cobell Settlement Agreement. The Settlement provided for a $1.9 billion Trust Land Consolidation Fund (Fund) to consolidate fractional land interests across Indian Country.

There are approximately 150 unique reservations that have fractional interests. The Buy-Back Program allows interested individual owners to receive payments for voluntarily selling their land. All interests sold are restored to tribes, which helps to keep Indian lands in trust for tribal communities. 

Read More >   

Current Status


The Buy-Back Program has currently purchased land to place into trust for tribes at the following reservations:

  • Pine Ridge
  • Rosebud
  • Makah
  • Fort Belknap
  • Gila River
  • Northern Cheyenne
  • Flathead
  • Umatilla
  • Quapaw
  • Crow
  • Lake Traverse

Offer Deadlines Approaching

Purchase offers are valid for 45 calendar days from the date of the Cover Letter that is included in the Offer package provided to owners.

If you own land interests and wish to learn more about the Program or register as a willing seller, please visit our landowners' web page or contact:

+1 (888) 678-6836

If landowners have a pending offer or question about the Buy-Back Program, they can also contact the reservation's tribal staff, visit their local Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office, or find more information at http://www.doi.gov/buybackprogram/landowners/index.cfm. 

Upcoming Events

 Read More >  

Media AnnouncementsNews

Click to subscribe to the RSS feed.Subscribe

Op-Ed: Making Strides to Restore Native American Homelands

 THU, DECEMBER 4, 2014, 03:15 PM EST

As President Obama hosted the 6th Annual Tribal Nations Conference this week, the Administration capped a year of continued progress in strengthening the government-to-government relationship with Indian Country. Read More >


Deputy Secretary Connor Outlines Accomplishments, Next Tribal Locations for $1.9 Billion Land Buy-Back Program

 THU, NOVEMBER 20, 2014, 03:17 PM EST

Department’s Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations (Buy-Back Program) has paid more than $225 million to individual American Indians for restoring the equivalent of 375,000 acres to tribal governments during the Program’s first year of sending offers. Read More >


Federal Register Notice: Interior Updating Systems of Records Notices to Facilitate Information Sharing with Tribes Implementing the Land Buy-Back Program

 FRI, NOVEMBER 14, 2014, 12:27 PM EST

In a Federal Register notice published today, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) announced that it is updating the existing system of record notices (SORNs). Read More >