North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2023

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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2023 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) in 1889, Congress enacted the North Dakota Enabling Act to provide for the division of Dakota into two States and to enable the people of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington to form constitutions and State governments and to be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and to make donations of public lands to such States (2) section 10 of the North Dakota Enabling Act (25 Stat. 679, chapter 180)— (A) with certain exceptions, granted sections 16 and 36 in every township to the new States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington for the support of common schools (B) in cases where portions of sections 16 and 36 had been reserved, granted, or sold prior to those States attaining statehood, authorized indemnity or in lieu (3) the State of North Dakota was granted land and minerals totaling more than 2,500,000 acres under the North Dakota Enabling Act; (4) the North Dakota Enabling Act provided further land grants to the State of North Dakota for the support of colleges, universities, the State capitol, and other public institutions; (5) prior to the enactment of the North Dakota Enabling Act, the United States, through treaties and Executive orders, including the Treaty between the United States of America and the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, and other Tribal Nations, made and concluded at Fort Laramie September 17, 1851 (11 Stat. 749), the Treaty between the United States of America and the Sisseton and Wahpeton Bands of Dakota or Sioux Indians, made and concluded at Washington February 19, 1867 (15 Stat. 505), the Treaty between the United States of America and different Tribes of Sioux Indians, made and concluded at Fort Laramie April 29, 1868 (15 Stat. 635), and the Executive order of April 12, 1870, established several reservations of land for multiple Indian Tribes located in the State of North Dakota; (6) authorizing the State to relinquish the State land grant parcels located within the reservations and to select other Federal land or minerals in lieu of the relinquished State land grant parcels will— (A) fulfill the promise of land and minerals to the State; and (B) provide to Indian Tribes greater Tribal sovereignty and control of land and minerals within the reservations; and (7) Congress should authorize the State— (A) to relinquish the land and minerals located within the reservations; and (B) to select in lieu of the relinquished land other Federal land or minerals in the State of North Dakota of equal value. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Federal land The term Federal land (2) North Dakota Enabling Act The term North Dakota Enabling Act (3) Public land The term public land public lands 43 U.S.C. 1702 (4) Reservation The term reservation (5) Secretary The term Secretary (6) State The term State (7) State land grant parcel The term State land grant parcel (A) a parcel of land granted to the State of North Dakota by Congress— (i) on statehood; or (ii) through a grant pursuant to the North Dakota Enabling Act; (B) a section of land numbered 16 or 36 granted to the State of North Dakota by Congress for school purposes; (C) a parcel of land selected by the State of North Dakota as indemnity for any section of land numbered 16 or 36; and (D) a parcel of land other than a parcel of land described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) obtained by the State after statehood. (8) Unappropriated Federal land (A) In general The term unappropriated Federal land (B) Exclusions The term unappropriated Federal land (i) surface interests acquired by the Bureau of Land Management; (ii) any area of critical environmental concern established pursuant to section 202(c)(3) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712(c)(3) (iii) land that is— (I) withdrawn from public entry; (II) located within a unit of the National Park System; (III) located within any reservation; (IV) located within— (aa) T. 147 N., R. 95 W.; (bb) T. 148 N., R. 95 W.; (cc) T. 148 N., R. 96 W.; or (dd) T. 149 N., R. 95 W.; (V) located within a United States military reservation; or (VI) designated by Congress or the President for conservation purposes. 4. Relinquishment and selection; conveyance (a) Relinquishment and selection (1) In general Subject to valid existing rights, if the State elects to relinquish all right, title, and interest of the State in and to a State land grant parcel located wholly or partially within the boundaries of any reservation, the Secretary shall authorize the State to select in accordance with this Act 1 or more parcels of unappropriated Federal land of substantially equivalent value within the State of North Dakota. (2) Approval Not later than 90 days after the date on which the State makes a selection under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall approve or reject, in whole or in part, the selection. (b) Conveyance (1) Conveyance by Secretary (A) In general Not later than 60 days after the date on which the Secretary approves a State selection of unappropriated Federal land under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall initiate the actions necessary to convey to the State the unappropriated Federal land. (B) Requirements Conveyance of Federal land by the Secretary under this Act— (i) shall be by clear list, patent, or deed acceptable to the State; and (ii) shall not be considered a sale, exchange, or conveyance under section 203, 205, 206, or 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1713 (2) Relinquishment and conveyance by State (A) In general As consideration for the conveyance of Federal land under paragraph (1), on the date on which the Federal land is conveyed to the State, the State shall concurrently relinquish and convey to the Secretary all right, title, and interest of the State in and to the State land grant parcel identified for relinquishment under subsection (a)(1). (B) Title The State shall convey to the Secretary title, free of any financial claims, liabilities, or other financial encumbrances, to all parcels relinquished under subparagraph (A). (C) Limitation Relinquishment and conveyance by the State of a State land grant parcel under this Act shall not be considered an exchange or acquisition for purposes of section 205 or 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1715 (c) Succession to rights and obligations Each party to which land is conveyed under this Act shall, to the fullest extent allowable under Federal and State law, succeed to the rights and obligations of the conveying party with respect to any lease, right-of-way, permit, or other valid existing right to which the land is subject. (d) Management after relinquishment (1) Reservation If a State land grant parcel relinquished by the State and conveyed to the Secretary under this Act is located wholly or partially within the boundaries of any reservation, on request of the applicable Indian Tribe, the portion of the State land grant parcel located within the boundaries of the reservation shall be— (A) taken into trust by the Secretary on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the Indian Tribe on the date of the conveyance; and (B) considered to be a part of the reservation of the Indian Tribe. (2) Consultation required Prior to the conveyance of a State land grant parcel located wholly or partially within the boundaries of any reservation, the State and the Secretary shall consult with the Indian Tribe the land of which is subject to conveyance in accordance with Executive Order 13175 ( 25 U.S.C. 5301 (e) Special rules for mineral land (1) Definition of unappropriated Federal land subject to a lease or permit In this subsection, the term unappropriated Federal land subject to a lease or permit (A) issued under the Mineral Leasing Act 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq. (B) in a producing or producible status during the 10-year period following the date of enactment of this Act. (2) Selection of mineral land The State may select, and the Secretary may convey, unappropriated Federal land that is mineral in character under subsection (b) on the condition that, except as provided in paragraph (3)(A), if the selected land is unappropriated Federal land subject to a lease or permit— (A) the Secretary shall reserve an overriding interest in the portion of the mineral estate that is comprised of minerals subject to leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq. (B) such a selection shall not include any portion of the mineral lease or permit. (3) Conveyance of mineral estate (A) In general If the State selects unappropriated Federal land subject to a lease or permit under paragraph (2), on the option of the State— (i) the Secretary may convey with the surface interest in the land the interest in the mineral estate that is comprised of minerals subject to leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq. (ii) all Federal mining claims over the land shall be converted to State leases in accordance with this paragraph. (B) Mining claims To facilitate the conversion of Federal mining claims to State leases under subparagraph (A), a Federal mining claimant may file with the Secretary a voluntary relinquishment of the Federal mining claim conditioned on— (i) conveyance of the land to the State; and (ii) the conversion of the Federal mining claim to a State lease. (C) Obligations under Federal law Until the date on which the land is conveyed to the State under subparagraph (A), a Federal mining claimant shall be subject to any obligations relating to the land under Federal law. (D) No relinquishment If the land previously encumbered by the relinquished Federal mining claim is not conveyed to the State under subparagraph (A), the relinquishment of land under subparagraph (B) shall have no effect. (E) Rights-of-way; other interest On conveyance to the State of land encumbered by a relinquished Federal mining claim under this paragraph, the State shall assume authority over any leases, licenses, permits, rights-of-way, operating plans, other land use authorizations, or reclamation obligations applicable to the relinquished Federal mining claim on the date of conveyance. (F) Valuation If a Federal mining claimant does not voluntarily relinquish under subparagraph (B) a Federal mining claim on land conveyed to the State, the Secretary shall take into account the encumbrance represented by the claim in determining the value of the land under section 5(b). (f) Withdrawal (1) In general Subject to valid rights in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, all Federal land selected by the State for conveyance under this Act, effective beginning on the date on which the State makes the selection and ending on the date described in paragraph (2), is withdrawn from all forms of— (A) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (B) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (C) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. (2) Date described The date referred to in paragraph (1) is the date on which, as applicable— (A) the Federal land is conveyed by the Secretary to the State; (B) the Secretary rejects the selection under subsection (a)(2); or (C) the State withdraws the selection. 5. Valuation (a) Equal value With respect to a State land grant parcel conveyed under this Act in consideration for a parcel of Federal land selected in accordance with this Act— (1) the overall value of the State land grant parcel and the overall value of the parcel of Federal land shall be substantially equal; or (2) subject to subsection (c), if the overall value of the parcels is not equal, the party conveying the parcel of lesser value shall— (A) equalize the value by the payment of funds to the other party; or (B) enter the imbalance in value on a ledger account in accordance with subsection (e). (b) Appraisal required Except as provided in subsection (d), the Secretary shall determine the value of a State land grant parcel and a parcel of Federal land to be conveyed under this Act through an appraisal completed in accordance with— (1) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; or (2) subject to subsection (d)(1), the Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice. (c) Equalization With respect to a conveyance to the Secretary of a State land grant parcel of lesser value than the parcel of Federal land to be conveyed to the State under this Act, the total value of the equalization payment described in subsection (a)(2)(A) or the ledger entry described in subsection (e), as applicable, may not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the parcel of Federal land. (d) Low value parcels (1) In general The Secretary, with the consent of the State, may use mass appraisals, a summary appraisal, or a statement of value made by a qualified appraiser carried out in accordance with the Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice to determine the value of a State land grant parcel or a parcel of Federal land to be conveyed under this Act instead of an appraisal that complies with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions if the State and the Secretary agree that market value of the State land grant parcel or parcel of Federal land, as applicable, is— (A) less than $500,000; and (B) less than $500 per acre. (2) Division A State land grant parcel or a parcel of Federal land may not be artificially divided in order to qualify for a summary appraisal, mass appraisal, or statement of value under paragraph (1). (e) Ledger accounts (1) In general With respect to a State land grant parcel conveyed under this Act in consideration for a parcel of Federal land, if the overall value of the parcels is not equal, the Secretary and the State may agree to use a ledger account to make equal the value. (2) Imbalances A ledger account described in paragraph (1) shall reflect imbalances in value to be reconciled in a subsequent transaction. (3) Account balancing Each ledger account described in paragraph (1) shall be— (A) balanced not later than 3 years after the date on which the ledger account is established; and (B) closed not later than 5 years after the date of the last conveyance of land under this Act. (4) Costs (A) In general The Secretary or the State may assume costs or other responsibilities or requirements for conveying land under this Act that ordinarily are borne by the other party. (B) Adjustment If the Secretary or the State assume costs or other responsibilities under subparagraph (A), the Secretary or the State shall make adjustments to the value of the Federal land conveyed to the State to compensate the Secretary or the State, as applicable, for assuming the costs or other responsibilities. (5) Mineral land If value is attributed to any parcel of Federal land that has been selected by the State because of the presence of minerals under a lease entered into under the Mineral Leasing Act ( 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq. 30 U.S.C. 181 et seq. 6. Miscellaneous (a) In general Land or minerals conveyed under this Act shall be subject to all applicable Federal, State, and Tribal law. (b) Protection of Indian rights (1) Treaty rights Nothing in this Act modifies, limits, expands, or otherwise affects any treaty-reserved right or other right of any Indian Tribe recognized by any other means, including treaties or agreements with the United States, Executive orders, statutes, regulations, or case law. (2) Land or minerals held in trust Nothing in this Act affects— (A) land or minerals held in trust by the United States as of the date of enactment of this Act on behalf of, and for the benefit of, any Indian Tribe; or (B) any individual Indian allotment. (c) Hazardous materials (1) In general The Secretary and the State shall make available for review and inspection any record relating to hazardous materials on land to be conveyed under this Act. (2) Certification (A) In general Prior to completing a conveyance of Federal land under this Act, the Secretary shall complete an inspection and a hazardous materials certification of the land to be conveyed. (B) State land grant parcels Prior to completing a conveyance of a State land grant parcel under this Act, the State shall complete an inspection and a hazardous materials certification of the land to be conveyed. (d) Grazing permits (1) In general If land conveyed under this Act is subject to a lease, permit, or contract for the grazing of domestic livestock in effect on the date of the conveyance, the Secretary or the State, as applicable, shall allow the grazing to continue for the remainder of the term of the lease, permit, or contract, subject to the related terms and conditions of the user agreements, including permitted stocking rates, grazing fee levels, access, and ownership and use of range improvements. (2) Cancellation (A) In general Nothing in this Act prevents the Secretary or the State from canceling or modifying a grazing permit, lease, or contract if the land subject to the permit, lease, or contract is sold, conveyed, transferred, or leased for nongrazing purposes. (B) Base properties If land conveyed by the State under this Act is used by a grazing permittee or lessee to meet the base property requirements for a Federal grazing permit or lease, the land shall continue to qualify as a base property for the remaining term of the lease or permit and the term of any renewal or extension of the lease or permit. (C) Range improvements Nothing in this Act prohibits a holder of a grazing lease, permit, or contract from being compensated for range improvements pursuant to the terms of the lease, permit, or contract under existing Federal or State laws. 7. Savings clause Nothing in this Act applies to or impacts the ownership of any land or mineral resources.

Summary: North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to exchange, at the election of North Dakota, certain federal land for certain state land of substantially equal value. Specifically, subject to valid existing rights, if North Dakota elects to relinquish a parcel of state land located wholly or partially within the boundaries of any Indian reservation, the bill authorizes North Dakota to select one or more parcels of federal land of substantially equivalent value within that state. No later than 60 days after Interior approves North Dakota's selection of federal land, Interior shall initiate the actions necessary to convey the federal land to the state. As consideration for the conveyance of the federal land, North Dakota shall concurrently relinquish and convey the state land to Interior. Land conveyed to Interior that is within the boundaries of a reservation becomes part of the reservation on request of the tribe.