25 U.S.C. § 2213 — Administration of acquired fractional interests; disposition of proceeds

(a) In general Subject to the conditions described in subsection (b)(1), an Indian tribe receiving a fractional interest under section 2212 of this title can, as a tenant in common with the other owners of the trust or restricted lands, lease the interest, sell the resources, consent to the granting of rights-of-way, or engage in any other transaction affecting the trust or restricted land authorized by law. (b) Application of revenue from acquired interests to land consolidation program (1) In general The Secretary must have a lien on any revenue accruing to an interest described in subsection (a) until the Secretary provides for the removal of the lien under paragraph (3), (4), or (5). (2) Requirements (A) In general Until the Secretary removes a lien from an interest in land under paragraph (1)— (i) any lease, resource sale contract, right-of-way, or other document evidencing a transaction affecting the interest must contain a clause providing that all revenue derived from the interest must be paid to the Secretary; and (ii) any revenue derived from any interest acquired by the Secretary under section 2212 of this title must be deposited in the fund created under section 2215 of this title . (B) Approval of transactions despite section 5123 of this title , or any other provision of law, until the Secretary removes a lien from an interest in land under paragraph (1), the Secretary can approve a transaction covered under this section on behalf of an Indian tribe. (3) Removal of liens after findings The Secretary can remove a lien referred to in paragraph (1) if the Secretary makes a finding that— (A) the costs of administering the interest from which revenue accrues under the lien will equal or exceed the projected revenues for the parcel of land involved; (B) in the discretion of the Secretary, it will take an unreasonable period of time for the parcel of land to generate revenue that equals the purchase price paid for the interest; or (C) a subsequent decrease in the value of land or commodities associated with the parcel of land make it likely that the interest will be unable to generate revenue that equals the purchase price paid for the interest in a reasonable time. (4) Removal of liens upon payment into the acquisition fund The Secretary must remove a lien referred to in paragraph (1) upon payment of an amount equal to the purchase price of that interest in land into the Acquisition Fund created under section 2215 1 of this title, except where the tribe with jurisdiction over such interest in land authorizes the Secretary to continue the lien to generate additional acquisition funds. (5) Other removal of liens The Secretary can, in consultation with tribal governments and other entities described in section 2212(b)(3) of this title , periodically remove liens referred to in paragraph (1) from interests in land acquired by the Secretary. (c) Tribe not treated as party to lease; no effect on tribal sovereignty, immunity (1) In general Paragraph (2) must apply for any undivided interest in allotted land held by the Secretary in trust for a tribe if a lease or agreement under subsection (a) is otherwise applicable to such undivided interest by reason of this section even though the Indian tribe did not consent to the lease or agreement. (2) Application of lease The lease or agreement described in paragraph (1) must apply to the portion of the undivided interest in allotted land described in such paragraph (including entitlement of the Indian tribe to payment under the lease or agreement), and the Indian tribe must not be treated as being a party to the lease or agreement. Nothing in this section (or in the lease or agreement) must be construed to affect the sovereignty of the Indian tribe.