An appellate court in Washington, D.C., has ruled in favor of northern New Mexico’s Jicarilla Apache Nation in a dispute over natural gas royalties dating from more than 20 years ago. The decision could mean millions of dollars for the tribe. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled last week the U.S. Department of Interior improperly relied on regulations that went into effect after the 1984-1988 period in question.
