Federal and Arizona state officials have started fulfilling a nearly 30-year-old settlement agreement with the Hopi Tribe by transferring over 31 square miles of state land into trust for the tribe.

This marks a historic moment for the Hopi, who will pay nearly $4 million for the land near Winslow.

The transfer is part of efforts to consolidate land for the tribe’s ranching and agricultural use, stemming from the 1996 Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act.

The Hopi Tribe has faced challenges in acquiring land, but this move could lead to the transfer of over 170 square miles in total, the Associated Press has reported.

Governor Katie Hobbs and Hopi Chairman Tim Nuvangyaoma both hailed the agreement as a step forward for the tribe’s economic opportunities.

Written by B.C. Begley