The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) seeks input on changes to its regulations governing the discretionary acquisition of land into trust for the benefit of tribal governments and individual Native Americans. Alongside other changes, the BIA proposes adding an expansive list of policy reasons that would support a land acquisition on behalf of a tribe, including the explicit policy goal of establishing a tribal land base and providing for climate change-related acquisitions.
This proposed rule is part of a broader trend of federal recognition of climate change threats to tribal lands, coming on the heels of an announced $115 million in federal funding to support tribal relocation efforts and adaptation planning.
The BIA will accept comments until March 1, 2023.