The Pawnee Nation hasn’t given up its fight with the Bureau of Indian Affairs over oil and gas drilling leases approved by the BIA four years ago.
It is urging the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver to revive a lawsuit filed in a challenge to the BIA’s approval of 17 leases in 2013 on Indian lands within the jurisdiction of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.
The Appeals Court granted a bid last week from the tribe to file an amicus brief in support of Merrill Chance’s appeal of U.S. District Judge James H. Payne’s ruling. The tribe contends that in approving the leases, the BIA was required by its regulations to notify the Pawnee of their administrative appeal rights.
“Nevertheless, BIA failed to give the Pawnee notice of the lease approvals or of their right to administratively appeal those approvals,” stated the tribe in its brief.