This bill has advanced since we wrote our summary.
Current stage on Congress.gov: Referred in Senate.
North Dakota could trade state school-trust parcels that sit inside Indian reservations for federally owned land of roughly equal value elsewhere in the state, and the reservation parcels would then be taken into trust for the affected tribe on request. The Bureau of Land Management would have 60 days after approval to start conveying the federal land, and the swap would be exempt from the usual Federal Land Policy and Management Act sale, exchange, and acquisition procedures in 43 U.S.C. sections 1713, 1715, 1716, and 1719. Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, National Landscape Conservation System units, Research Natural Areas, military reservations, four specifically listed townships, and lands designated by Congress or the President for conservation would be off-limits to selection. Independent appraisals would set values, with equalization payments capped at 25% of the federal parcel's value and ledger accounts balanced within three years. Final appraisals would be posted at the BLM Montana-Dakotas office and announced in a North Dakota newspaper at least 30 days before any exchange, and existing grazing permits and leases would continue under their original terms.
Environmental Concerns
- FLPMA exchange procedures — conveyances exempted from 43 U.S.C. 1713, 1715, 1716, 1719
- Tribal trust acreage — reservation-located parcels taken into trust on tribal request
- Selection eligibility — excludes ACECs, NLCS units, Research Natural Areas, conservation designations
Transparency & Accountability
- Public appraisal inspection — final appraisals available 30 days before exchange
- Newspaper notice requirement — North Dakota general-circulation publication before exchange
- Tribal consultation requirement — State and Secretary must consult per Executive Order 13175
Congressional Summary
North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2026This bill allows North Dakota to exchange certain state land grant parcels (e.g., lands granted to North Dakota by Congress when it became a state) located wholly or partially within an Indian reservation for certain federal land of substantially equivalent value. North Dakota manages oil, gas, and agriculture leases on state land grant parcels to generate revenue for education and other public benefits. However, tribal reservations were created on state land grant parcels and reduced the amount of land available for revenue generation. Specifically, the bill allows the North Dakota Board of University and School Lands to exchange with the Department of the Interior state land grant parcels located wholly or partially within tribal reservations for certain public land in North Dakota administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Upon the request of a tribe, Interior must hold exchanged land within the tribe's reservation in trust on behalf of the tribe.Further, the bill provides for the continuation of active grazing operations on land exchanged under this bill.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-04-02
- Date Added
- 2026-05-16
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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