Can individual Indian landowners exempt their agricultural land from certain tribal leasing policies?

(a) Individual Indian landowners may exempt their agricultural land from the application of a tribal leasing policy of a type described in § 162.203(b) through (c) of this subpart, if the Indian owners of at least 50% of the trust or restricted interests in the land submit a written objection to us before a lease is granted or approved.

(b) Upon our receipt of a written objection from the Indian landowners that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, we will notify the tribe that the owners' land has been exempted from a specific tribal leasing policy. If the exempted land is part of a unitized lease tract, such land will be removed from the unit and leased separately, if appropriate.

(c) The procedures described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section will also apply to withdrawing an approved exemption.