The federal government has threatened to close the Pawhuska office that manages the development of oil and gas resources for the Osage Nation, but tribal leadership says they can manage it themselves.
The office in Pawhuska known as the Osage Agency oversees the mineral rights for the Nation. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has named it in its list of government closures and estimates its annual lease is more than $166,134.
Osage Assistant Principal Chief R.J. Walker says the Nation is “securing a place” for the BIA to be housed in Osage County. The Osage Minerals Council passed a resolution March 7 to support keeping the office open.
But Walker also pointed out that the Nation is suing the BIA in federal court for the rights to fully operate Osage Agency. The lawsuit claims the federal government violates the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act by not letting the Nation take over the office from the BIA.
“If this is really what the federal government wants, then we’re ready to take it over. They could end the lawsuit and give it to us,” Walker said.
Attorney Lee Levison, who has represented oilers seeking to drill on the reservation, said the Osage Nation and oilers alike would benefit if the Nation fully ran the office.
“If it allows more development, I wish they’d close it tomorrow,” Levison said. “If they can be better administered, then the office can be there. But it’s kind of an open question. But that Osage County has been over-regulated for years, and they’ve scared off most of the operators. That’s the problem.”
Some Osage officials are in favor of fewer regulations but oppose the DOGE closure. At the Mineral Council’s March 7 meeting, councilor Stephanie Erwin said they needed to make sure everyone at the Osage Agency “has a job.”
It was one of her motivations to pass the resolution.
“We need to send a message that we want to keep everything in place,” she said.
