(Ethete, WY) – The Northern Arapaho Business Council is pleased to announce that all enrolled Members will receive a special payment of $500 due to the successful extraction of oil from the Circle Ridge Oil Fields. A little over a year ago, the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes assumed ownership of the oil fields, which had previously been leased to private corporations for decades. The Tribes now receive 100% of royalties from Circle Ridge production.
NABC Chairman Jordan Dresser said the decision to take control of Circle Ridge is already paying dividends for the Tribe and its Members.
“Taking control of Circle Ridge is what protecting Tribal sovereignty and independence is all about,” Chairman Dresser said. “By taking ownership of these oil fields, we have been able to increase production and generate the additional revenue that makes these special Member payments possible. Now, we need to be smart by investing a portion of our proceeds in clean-energy technologies and economic development so the Arapaho people are prepared for the future.”
Circle Ridge is the most productive oil field on the Wind River Reservation, constituting a majority of all oil production. Payments will be issued to all Members enrolled in the Tribe prior to July 29, 2022. Checks will be processed by Little Wind Loans and mailed to Members beginning Aug. 17.