25 CFR § 162.531 - How will BIA decide whether to approve a WEEL?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t25/s162.531"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "25 CFR § 162.531 - How will BIA decide whether to approve a WEEL?"
title_number: 25
title_name: "Indians"
section_number: "162.531"
section_name: "How will BIA decide whether to approve a WEEL?"
chapter_name: "BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR"
subchapter_number: "H"
subchapter_name: "LAND AND WATER"
part_number: "162"
part_name: "LEASES AND PERMITS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 301, R.S. 463 and 465; 25 U.S.C. 2 and 9. Interpret or apply sec. 3, 26 Stat. 795, sec. 1, 28 Stat. 305, secs. 1, 2, 31 Stat. 229, 246, secs. 7, 12, 34 Stat. 545, 34 Stat. 1015, 1034, 35 Stat. 70, 95, 97, sec. 4, 36 Stat. 856, sec. 1, 39 Stat. 128, 41 Stat. 415, as amended, 751, 1232, sec. 17, 43 Stat. 636, 641, 44 Stat. 658, as amended, 894, 1365, as amended, 47 Stat. 1417, sec. 17, 48 Stat. 984, 988, 49 Stat. 115, 1135, sec. 55, 49 Stat. 781, sec. 3, 49 Stat. 1967, 54 Stat. 745, 1057, 60 Stat. 308, secs. 1, 2, 60 Stat. 962, sec. 5, 64 Stat. 46, secs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 64 Stat. 470, 69 Stat. 539, 540, 72 Stat. 968, 107 Stat. 2011, 108 Stat. 4572, March 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 4016; 25 U.S.C. 380, 393, 393a, 394, 395, 397, 402, 402a, 403, 403a, 403b, 403c, 409a, 413, 415, 415a, 415b, 415c, 415d, 416, 477, 635, 2201  3701, 3702, 3703, 3712, 3713, 3714, 3715, 3731, 3733, 4211; 44 U.S.C. 3101"
regulatory_source: "66 FR 7109, Jan. 22, 2001, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "162"
---


# 162.531 How will BIA decide whether to approve a WEEL?

(a) We will approve a WEEL unless:

(1) The required consents have not been obtained from the parties to the WEEL;

(2) The requirements applicable to WEELs have not been met; or

(3) We find a compelling reason to withhold our approval in order to protect the best interests of the Indian landowners.

(b) We will defer, to the maximum extent possible, to the Indian landowners' determination that the WEEL is in their best interest.

(c) We may not unreasonably withhold approval of a WEEL.