NESPELEM – Colville Business Council Chairman Michael O. Finley testified March 10 before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources on issues related to a proposed settlement of a class action suit on alleged mismanagement of individual American Indian trust funds.
     Finley, also chairman of the Intertribal Monitoring Association on Indian Trust Funds, testified on the Cobell vs. Salazar case.
     Under the proposed settlement, the federal government would create a $1.4 billion Accounting/Trust Administration Fund to be divided among the class plaintiffs, and a $2 billion Trust Land Consolidation Fund to assist tribes in purchasing “highly fractionated” lands that have been divided and redivided into smaller and smaller interests over the years among the heirs of landowners.
     The amounts are less than the plaintiffs had earlier requested. One settlement figure offered by lawyers for the plaintiffs was $47 billion.
     Finley said the proposed settlement, disclosed in early December 2009, has been a source of confusion for both individual landowners and tribal officials. He said the government is attempting to include issues involving management of trust land, as opposed to trust funds deposited in Individual Indian Money accounts.
     That might extinguish potential trust land mismanagement claims for a base payment of $500 unless individuals opt-out of the settlement, he said.
     Before the court can approve the settlement, Congress must first pass authorizing legislation.
     More than 100 tribes, including the Colvilles, have lawsuits pending against the U.S., claiming mismanagement of tribal trust assets.