What We Do

Division of Probate and Estate Services

The Division of Probate and Estate Services focuses on the preparation and submission of the record of probate documentation to Federal administrative adjudicators and/or the District Courts in the state of Oklahoma for determination of the legal heirs or devisees and for the subsequent distribution of the trust estate.

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Division of Real Estate Services

The Division of Real Estate Services is responsible for providing technical assistance to Tribes and Agencies for a variety of issues affecting trust and restricted land and resources. The Division prepares the necessary documentation or completes the reviews, and makes recommendations for realty transactions including acquisitions, disposals, leasing and rights-of-way. Quiet Title Actions served on the Regional Director involving restricted lands within the jurisdictional area of the Five Civilized Tribes filed in accordance with Federal statute are also processed by the Division.

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Division of Self Determination Services

The Division of Self Determination plays a key role in the contracting of Bureau functions, responsibilities and funds to Tribal contractors through awards and contract administration of contracts and grants as authorized by P.L. 93-638, as amended. The Division handles the responsibilities for 638 awards and grants and the contract administration for not only the Regional programs under the line authority of the Regional Director, but also law enforcement and education programs (under the line authorities of the Office of Tribal Justice, District II, and the Bureau of Indian Education, respectively.) It also currently oversees the 638 contracts for the Catawba Nation (South Carolina.)

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Division of SubSurface Leasing

The Division of Subsurface Leasing initiation and compliance activity for producing and non-producing leases on Indian lands in addition to other duties as lease communitization. The Division also works closely with the Bureau of Land Management on operators’ compliance with lease provisions on restricted and/or Trust properties.

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Division of Transportation

The Division of Transportation (DOT) supports of the Bureau’s mission to provide an adequate network of roads serving Indian communities. DOT accomplishes this by (a) administering Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) contract authority to construct roads and bridges, (b) maintaining a road and bridge inventory of Indian Reservation Roads (IRR), (c) creating a Region-wide Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) and (d) planning and design of road projects. The DOT is comprised of three branches: Branch of Planning; Branch of Design; and Branch of Construction.

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Division of Tribal Services

The Division of Tribal Services supports the Bureau’s mission under the Branch of Tribal Government Services and the Branch of Social Services by rendering quality service to the Indian people, Indian communities, and Tribes. The Division provides a range of services from Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) appeals to Tribal Trust budgets. The Branch of Human Services provides Social Service Program services and Indian Child Welfare (ICWA) Program services ranging from providing training to responding to Indian Child Welfare Act child custody proceedings to state courts and private adoption agencies to Supervised Individual Indian Money Accounts.

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LockBox Coordination

Lockbox Coordination oversees and initiates curative actions to ensure lockbox transactions and the income are processed accurately, timely, and efficiently for Indian beneficiaries within the Eastern Oklahoma Region.

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Division of Natural Resources

The Division of Natural Resources is comprised of three branches: Forestry and Fire; Natural Resources Management; and Emergency Response. These branches execute programs such as Wildland Fire Management, Forest Management, Agriculture/Invasive Species, Water Resources Development, Integrated Resource Management Planning Development and Emergency Management programs for Trust and restricted lands located within the Eastern Oklahoma Region.

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Division of Environmental, Safety and Cultural Resources

The Division of Environmental, Safety and Cultural Resources reports to the Regional Director. The Division provides technical assistance on environmental, cultural resources and endangered species management, including the review of proposed actions for compliance with applicable laws and conducting initial responses to events that may require natural resources damage assessments. The Division also provides technical assistance to Bureau and Tribal employees on environmental and cultural resources compliance.

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Division of Land Titles and Records

The Division of Land Titles and Records is charged with the Federal responsibility to record, provide custody, and maintain records that affect titles to Indian lands, to examine titles, and to provide title status reports for Trust and restricted lands located within the Region.