Federal authorities file to place more than 45,000 acres in trust for Hopi Tribe in Arizona

More than 45,000 acres of Arizona state land are set to be transferred to the federal government and placed into trust for the Hopi Tribe, according to recent actions by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Interior.

The Hopi Tribe will pay $8.4 million into a federal court account as compensation for the land. Once that payment is completed, the land will officially belong to the tribe.

This is part of a larger effort that will eventually bring more than 270,000 acres into federal trust for the benefit of the Hopi Tribe. More than 110,000 of those acres are Arizona state trust lands being acquired through a “friendly condemnation” with the state’s agreement.

Adam Gustafson from the Justice Department said the actions were directed by the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act of 1996.

“In carrying out this law, the United States is proud to assist the Hopi Tribe in the continued expansion of their trust lands and growth of their ranching operations,” Gustafson said in a Friday release.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said this step is an important milestone in meeting long standing commitments to the Hopi Tribe.

“By placing these lands into trust, we are strengthening the tribe’s ability to steward its resources, expand opportunities for economic development and exercise greater self-governance,” Burgum said in the release. This will benefit the Hopi people for generations to come, he added.

Hopi Tribe Chairman Lamar B. Keevama called it a historic moment.

“The Hopi people are in the process of planting their corn. I pray that this land reacquisition is a newly planted seed that will provide abundant benefits for the Hopi Tribe,” Keevama said. “It is fitting that this historic moment coincides with such an important time.”

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