What does Preamble of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This bill, formally titled 'A BILL To authorize the relinquishment and in lieu selection of land and minerals in the State of North Dakota, to restore land and minerals to Indian Tribes within the State of North Dakota, and for other purposes,' aims to authorize actions related to land and mineral rights in North Dakota. The bill intends to allow for the relinquishment and in lieu selection of land and minerals within North Dakota. It also seeks to restore land and minerals to Indian Tribes located within North Dakota.

What does SHORT TITLE. of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This bill is formally titled the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025.

What does DEFINITIONS. of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This section defines key terms used throughout the Act. The 'North Dakota Enabling Act' is defined as the Act of February 22, 1889. A 'reservation' is defined as any Indian reservation located wholly or partially within North Dakota and recognized under U.S. law. The 'Secretary' refers to the Secretary of the Interior. The 'State' is defined as North Dakota, acting through the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands. A 'State land grant parcel' includes land granted to North Dakota upon statehood, through the North Dakota Enabling Act, land numbered 16 or 36 for school purposes, indemnity land, and land obtained after statehood. “Unappropriated Federal land” refers to public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management in North Dakota, including mineral land, with specific exclusions. Exclusions from 'unappropriated Federal land' include land acquired by the Bureau of Land Management, areas of critical environmental concern, and land withdrawn from various uses or located within specific areas like the National Landscape Conservation System or military reservations.

What does RELINQUISHMENT AND SELECTION; CONVEYANCE. of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This section outlines a process for a State to relinquish its interest in a State land grant parcel and receive unappropriated Federal land in exchange. If a State elects to relinquish a State land grant parcel, the Secretary is authorized to allow the State to select Federal land of substantially equivalent value. The Secretary must approve or reject the State's selection within 180 days. The Secretary is required to initiate conveyance of the Federal land to the State within 60 days of approval. The State must concurrently relinquish its interest in the State land grant parcel to the Secretary when the Federal land is conveyed. The relinquishment and conveyance process is designed to avoid being considered a sale, exchange, or conveyance under specific sections of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. If a relinquished State land grant parcel is within a reservation, it may be taken into trust for the benefit of the Indian Tribe upon request. Consultation with affected Indian Tribes is required prior to the conveyance of land within reservation boundaries. Unappropriated Federal land selected by the State is withdrawn from various forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal during the selection process.

What does VALUATION. of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This section establishes valuation procedures for land exchanges under the Act. The overall value of State land grant parcels and Federal land parcels should be substantially equal, but if not, the party with the lesser value parcel must equalize the value through payment or a ledger account. Appraisals, typically conducted by independent appraisers selected jointly by the Secretary and the State, are generally required to determine land values, adhering to either the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions or the Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice. Equalization payments or ledger entries resulting from value imbalances cannot exceed 25 percent of the total value of the Federal land parcel. For low-value parcels (less than $500,000 or less than $500 per acre), mass appraisals or statements of value may be used instead of full appraisals, provided both the Secretary and the State agree. If value imbalances occur, a ledger account can be used to reconcile the difference in a subsequent transaction, and must be balanced within three years and closed within five years of the last land conveyance. The Secretary or the State may assume costs typically borne by the other party, with adjustments made to the value of the Federal land to compensate. If mineral rights contribute to the value of Federal land, the value will be reduced by the estimated Federal revenue sharing obligation under the Mineral Leasing Act.

What does MISCELLANEOUS. of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This section outlines miscellaneous provisions related to land and mineral conveyances under this Act. Conveyed land and minerals are subject to all applicable Federal, State, and Tribal laws. The Act explicitly protects treaty rights and rights of recognized Indian Tribes, stating that nothing in the Act modifies or affects them. Land or minerals held in trust by the United States for Indian Tribes or individual Indian allotments are not affected by the Act. The Secretary and the State must make records related to hazardous materials available for review and inspection. Prior to conveyance, the Secretary and the State must complete hazardous materials inspections and certifications. Existing grazing leases, permits, or contracts will continue for the remainder of their terms, subject to existing conditions. The Secretary or State can cancel or modify grazing permits if the land is sold for non-grazing purposes. Land conveyed by the State can continue to qualify as base property for Federal grazing permits. Holders of grazing leases, permits, or contracts can be compensated for range improvements under existing laws.

What does SAVINGS CLAUSE. of North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025 do?

This section establishes a savings clause for pending litigation. The savings clause prevents the Act from affecting lawsuits already in progress. These pending lawsuits concern land or mineral resource ownership. The litigation must be pending on the date of enactment of the Act.

Back to bills

North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025

Last updated: 3/14/2025 · Introduced: 3/14/2025

Author: John Hoeven (R-ND)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill authorizes North Dakota to relinquish state-owned land and mineral rights and receive federal land in exchange, aiming to complete land grants from 1889.
If a state land grant parcel is within a reservation, it can be transferred into trust for the benefit of the associated Indian Tribe upon request.
Land exchanges must involve parcels of substantially equal value, with mechanisms for equalization payments or ledger accounts to address value discrepancies, capped at 25% of the federal land value.
The bill requires consultation with affected Indian Tribes before any land conveyance within reservation boundaries.
Existing grazing leases, permits, and contracts on affected land will continue until their expiration, with potential for compensation for range improvements.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 2252(In Committee)Official page

Verified Votes

No verified votes yet.

Community Votes

No community votes yet. Be the first!

Voting as guest · Sign in for verified votes

Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 5 more.

7 sections

Click "Show details" to explore individual sections. Use the community vote above or visit All Sections to vote per section.

Read official text

Want the full experience?

Create a free account to cast verified votes on each section, get a personalized summary, and track your voting history.

Create Free Account