Rights-of-Way on Indian Land

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is announcing the extension of the effective date of the final rule published November 19, 2015 governing rights-of-way on Indian land, which was scheduled to take effect on December 21, 2015. Tribes and industry have requested additional time to prepare for implementation of the rule. The final rule will now take effect on March 21, 2016. The BIA is also announcing an extension of the compliance date by which documentation of past assignments must be submitted from the originally stated date of April 18, 2016 to July 17, 2016. The final rule comprehensively updates and streamlines the process for obtaining Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) grants of rights-of-way on Indian land and BIA land, while supporting tribal self-determination and self-governance.