Opinion ID: 620486
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Conversion of the Seven Claim II Leases

Text: After the 1940 and 1944 restoration of ceded lands, in 1948, the British-American Oil Producing Company (“British-American”) asked the superintendent of the Wind River Agency to convert two of the seven existing 1916 Act leases into 1938 Act leases. Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) 156. Both of these leases were productive and in their initial twenty-year term. Id. In response to this request, in May of 1948, the Government and BritishAmerican presented the proposal to the Tribes’ Joint Business Council (“the Council”). 2 J.A. 159; Appellants’ Br. 11. After the Government’s representative discussed British-American’s proposal and some of the differences between 1916 Act leases and 1938 Act leases, the Council unanimously voted to approve the conversion of the leases. J.A. 159–60. Following this meeting, the Council adopted Resolution No. 152, which resolved “that the Commissioner of Indian Affairs be requested to . . . convert the two said leases . . . .” J.A. 161. These leases were prepared and signed by the two Council chairmen on February 11, 1949. J.A. 165, 169. In 1949, the Husky Refining Company (“Husky”) re- quested that five of its 1916 Act leases be converted into 1938 Act leases. Unlike the converted British-American leases, these leases’ initial twenty-year term had expired, so the leases were up for renewal. As with the BritishAmerican leases, the Council voted to approve the conversion of the five Husky leases. J.A. 172. Resolution 153 issued in response to this approval, directing “new leases be prepared in favor of the Husky Refining Company, covering the restored tribal lands described in the said 2 The Joint Business Council consists of the Sho- shone Business Council and the Arapaho Business Council, but not the United States.” Appellants’ Br. 11. 7 SHOSHONE INDIAN TRIBE v. US contracts on the current tribal lease form, as provided for in the Act of May 11, 1938.” J.A. 173. Four of these leases were executed by the Tribes on August 10, 1949, while the fifth was executed on July 21, 1950. Despite the conversion of these seven leases, when British-American requested conversion of another lease in 1957, the Government stated that “[i]t is deemed inadvisable to issue a renewal lease under the [1938 Act] as it requires that the leases be advertised for competitive bids.” J.A. 202. Accordingly, this lease was never converted.