The Obama administration has settled a long-standing lawsuit over the federal government’s abysmal record of serving as trustee for its American Indians.

The settlement of the Cobell v. Salazar case that used to be the Cobell v. Kempthrone case and the Cobell v. Babbitt case promises to pay $1.4 billion to 500,000 American Indians to make up for mismanagement of billions of dollars in oil, gas, grazing, timber and other royalties overseen by the Interior for Indians since 1887.

Elouise Cobell, a Blackfeet Indian from Montana, who was the lead plaintiff in the class action lawsuit signaled that she was pleased with the settlement that sill must pass Congress.

“Today we have an administration that is listening to us,” She told Indian Country Today.

This lawsuit will have some financial impacts on rural western towns near Indian communities. Once finally approved the Indians involved will get checks of $1,000.

No one involved thinks this accounts for all of the money that was siphoned off of tribes over the years. It also won’t pay most of the heirs of the people who died waiting for the outcome.

But it will move the tribes and the federal government past a sorry history and help tribes deal with the fractionation of Indian lands held by generations of heirs of original Indian owners. These 4 million acres of land have so many owners, sometimes thousands for one parcel, that it makes it nearly impossible to clear titles.

The settlement will offer to buy out individual heirs so the tribes can get full title of the land. It also offers scholarships for Indian students. That finally may put these land to good use.

If you want to learn more go to www.cobellsettlement.com .