§ 574 TITLE 25—INDIANS Page 224

§ 574. Consolidation of lands

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and

directed to establish land-use districts within

the diminished and ceded portions of the Wind

River Indian Reservation, Wyoming, and, under

such rules and regulations as he may prescribe,

to effect the consolidation of Indian and privately owned lands within said districts through

exchange, relinquishment, donation, assignment, or purchase of lands or interests therein,

including water rights or surface rights to lands,

improvements thereon and improvements on undisposed-of ceded lands, to the end that the respective Indian and non-Indian land holdings

may be consolidated for more beneficial use. Exchanges of lands hereunder shall be made on the

basis of equal value, and the value of improvements on lands to be relinquished to the Indians

or by Indians, to non-Indians shall be given due

consideration, and allowance made therefor in

the valuation of lieu lands. This section shall

apply to tribal land, and trust or otherwise restricted Indian allotments, whether the allottees be living or deceased. In all transactions involving tribal Indian land, the consent of the

Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes shall first be obtained. Title to all lands or interests therein acquired by the Government through exchange of

tribal land shall be taken in the name of the

United States in trust for the Shoshone and

Arapaho Tribes of Indians of the Wind River

Reservation, Wyoming. Title to lands exchanged

for individual Indian allotments, or purchased

for individual Indians with restricted funds shall

be taken by the United States in trust for the

individual Indian allottee or heir. The right

herein granted individual Indians to acquire

lands by purchase with restricted funds or by exchange shall not extend to lands on the ceded or

opened portion of the reservation.

(July 27, 1939, ch. 387, §4, 53 Stat. 1129.)

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 571, 573, 575, 577

of this title.

§ 574a. Acquisition of lands on Wind River Reservation

(a) Authority to hold lands in trust for individual

tribe

The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to acquire individually in the name of

the United States in trust for the benefit of the

Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation or the Northern Arapaho Tribe of the

Wind River Reservation, as appropriate, lands or

other rights when the individual assets of only

one of the tribes is used to acquire such lands or

other rights.

(b) Lands remain part of joint Reservation subject to exclusive tribal control

Any lands acquired under subsection (a) of this

section within the exterior boundaries of the

Wind River Reservation shall remain a part of

the Reservation and subject to the joint tribal

laws of the Reservation, except that the lands so

acquired shall be subject to the exclusive use

and control of the tribe for which such lands

were acquired.

(c) Income

The income from lands acquired under subsection (a) of this section shall be credited to

the tribe for which such lands were acquired.

(d) Savings provision

Nothing in this section shall be construed to

prevent the joint acquisition of lands for the

benefit of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the

Wind River Reservation and the Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation.

(Pub. L. 103–435, §15, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4573.)

§ 575. Restoration of lands

The Secretary of the Interior is directed to restore to tribal ownership all undisposed-of surplus or ceded lands within the land use districts

which are not at present under lease or permit

to non-Indians; and, further, to restore to tribal

ownership the balance of said lands progressively as and when the non-Indian owned lands

within a given land use district are acquired by

the Government for Indian use pursuant to the

provisions of sections 571 to 577 of this title. All

such restorations shall be subject to valid existing rights and claims: Provided, That no restoration to tribal ownership shall be made of any

lands within any reclamation project heretofore

authorized within the diminished or ceded portions of the reservation.

(July 27, 1939, ch. 387, §5, 53 Stat. 1129.)

LANDS CEDED FOR RIVERTON PROJECT

Act Aug. 15, 1953, ch. 509, §4, 67 Stat. 613, set out as

a note under section 611 of this title, provided that all

lands of the Wind River Indian Reservation ceded for

the Riverton reclamation project in Wyoming and not

used for such project were restored to the ownership of

the Arapaho and Shoshone Tribes.

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 571, 577 of this

title.

§ 576. Purchase of lands; reimbursement of expenditures

The sum of $1,000,000 authorized in section 573

of this title for use in carrying out the land purchase and consolidation program hereinbefore

authorized shall remain available until expended

and any amount expended shall be reimbursed

with interest at 4 per centum per annum to the

Shoshone Tribe of Indians of the Wind River

Reservation from joint funds to the credit of the

Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River

Reservation or from future accruals to said joint

fund, as and when said funds accrue. Title to all

land purchases made hereunder shall be taken in

the name of the United States in trust for the

Shoshone and Arapaho Tribes of Indians of the

Wind River Reservation, Wyoming. All purchases of lands or interests therein made pursuant to this section shall receive the approval of

the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Councils or of

the business committees thereof.

(July 27, 1939, ch. 387, §6, 53 Stat. 1130.)

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in sections 571, 573, 575, 577

of this title.