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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Real Estate
The Department of the Interior announced the placement of 680 acres of land into trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County, N.D.
The transfer marks a return of the land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs after that agency handed the acreage over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1959. The acreage was then used for hay production to support bison at the nearby White Horse Hill National Game Preserve. In the past decade, however, the UWFWS had not used the land.
It is the first such acquisition announced under the Trump administration, following a recently reported trust acquisition for the Pechanga Band of Indians in California was completed prior to his inauguration. In a statement, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum called the transfer a “significant step toward strengthening tribal sovereignty and empowering the Spirit Lake Nation” for economic growth and community development.
According to the statement, the land's trust status ensures it cannot be sold or encumbered without federal approval. It also allows the tribe to pursue federal funding and resources for development initiatives.
Spirit Lake Tribe Chairperson Lonna Jackson-Street expressed gratitude for the acquisition. She described the land's return as meaningful for the tribe's future, noting plans for community-focused projects, such as expanding a health center.
“This victory stands as a powerful reminder of our resilience and commitment to our future generations,” Jackson-Street said in a statement.
The returned property includes areas with native and medicinal plants the tribe intends to preserve, according to a report in ICT (formerly Indian Country Today). Jackson-Street also told ICT the tribe is seeking the return of 300 additional acres of federal game preserve land.
