Bill > HR2252

This bill, known as the "North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025," establishes a land exchange process between the State of North Dakota and the federal government, specifically focusing on lands within Native American reservations. The bill allows the state to voluntarily relinquish state land grant parcels located wholly or partially within reservation boundaries in exchange for equivalent-value unappropriated federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The Secretary of the Interior will review and approve land selections within 180 days, with the State receiving federal lands in exchange for relinquishing their existing parcels. If the land values are not exactly equal, the parties can make financial adjustments up to 25% of the total land value or use a ledger account to reconcile differences. The bill includes provisions to ensure that conveyed lands remain subject to existing leases, rights-of-way, and permits, and it allows Indian Tribes to request that relinquished lands within their reservation boundaries be taken into trust for their benefit. Additionally, the legislation includes protections for existing Indian treaty rights, requires hazardous materials inspections, and does not affect any pending litigation regarding land ownership in North Dakota. The bill aims to provide a structured, mutually agreeable process for land transfer and restoration to Indian Tribes.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2252/all-info