To make technical amendments to certain Federal Indian statutes.
PL 102-497 (H.R.5686), enacted 10/24/1992

PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
106 STAT. 3255 
Public Law 102-497 
102d Congress 
An Act 
To make technical amendments to certain Federal Indian statutes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. C
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D DESCRIPTION W
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E RESERVATION. 
Section 4(b) of Public Law 100-425 (25 U.S.C. 713f note) is 
amended by striking "SEy4NEy4'' in the fourth column of the 
description of the 47th tract of land listed in such subsection and 
insertmg the following: "SEV4NEV4,EV2SWV4''. 
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF DEADLINE W
I
T
H RESPECT T
O P
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N
C
A ECO-
N
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M
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C D
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V
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T PLAN. 
Section 10(aX3) of the Ponca Restoration Act (25 U.S.C. 
983h(aX3)) is amended by striking "2" and inserting "3". 
SEC. 3. EXPENDITURE OF J
U
D
G
M
E
N
T FUNDS. 
(a) CROW TRIBE JUDGMENT FUND.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, or any distribution plan approved pursuant to 
the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or Distribution Act (25 
U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), the Secretary of the Interior may reprogram, 
in accordance witn Crow Tribal Resolution 91-14, any and all 
remaining funds (principal and interest accounts) which were 
awarded m satisfaction of the iudgments in Indian Claims Commis-
sion Docket No. 54 (1961) and United States Claims Court Docket 
Nos. 796-71 and 797-71 (1981). 
(b) SHOSHONE-BANNOCK JUDGMENT FUND.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, or any distribution plan approved pursu-
ant to the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or Disfaribution 
Act (25 U.S.C. 1401 et sec].), the Secretaiy of the Interior may 
reprc«ram, in accordance Math Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Resolution 
GNCL-91-0616, dated July 19, 1991, any and all remaining funds 
(principal and interest accounts) which were awarded in satiiuaction 
of the judgment in Indian Claims Commission Docket No. 326-
C-2 (1985). 
SEC. 
4. 
AUTHORITY 
TO 
CONVEY 
LANDS. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Mississippi 
Band of Choctaw Indians is authorized to sell, convey, and warrant 
to National Disposal Systems, Inc., without further approval of 
the United States, all the Band's interests in real property located 
in Noxubee County, Mississippi, that it ac(][uired 
fict>m 
National 
Disposal Systems, Inc. Nothing m this section is intended to author-
ize the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to sell any of its 
lands that are hela in trust by the United States. 
SEC. S. AMENDBIENTS TO 99-YEAR LEASE STATUTE. 
The second sentence of subsection (a) of the first section of 
the Act of August 9, 1955 (25 U.S.C. 415) is amended by inserting 
Oct. 24,1992 
[H.R. 5686] 
106 STAT. 3256 
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
105 
Stat. 1725, 
1731. 
105 
Stat. 1725. 
105 
Stat. 1727. 
Southern 
Arizona Water 
Rights 
Settlement 
Technical 
Amendments 
Act of 1992. 
96 Stat. 1284. 
immediately after "Oklahoma," the following: lands held in trust 
for the Pueblo of Santa Clara, lands held in trust for the Confed-
erated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, lands held in trust for 
the Cahuilla Band of Indians of California,". 
SEC. 6. AMENDMENTS TO THE SAN CARLOS IRRIGATION PROJECT 
DIVESTITURE ACT OF 1991. 
The San Carlos Indian Irrigation Project Divestiture Act of 
1991 (Public Law 102-231; 105 Stat. 1722 et seq.) is amended 
by— 
(1) deleting in sections 4(a) and l(Kb) the date 
"December 31, 1992" and inserting in lieu thereof the date 
"July 31,1993"; 
(2) inserting immediately before the period at the end 
of paragraph (1) of subsection 5(a) the phrase "and otherwise 
administer all customer accounts"; and 
(3) deleting "5(a)(2)" in the second sentence of section 6 
and inserting in lieu thereof "5(a)(5)". 
SEC. 
7
. 
EXPENDITURE 
OF 
LEDGER 
ACCOUNT. 
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to expend not to 
exceed $1,300,000 of receipts, including interest, generated from 
the Wapato Indian Irrigation Project, currently available in the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs^ Account for Operation and Maintenance, 
Indian Irrigation Systems (Appropriation Account 14X5240), which 
includes principal collected under the authority of the Act of Feb-
ruai^ 14, 1920, for piu'poses of rehabilitation and betterment of 
the irrigation system at the Wapato Indian Irrigation Project, and 
to which the principal sums collected shall be credited in a manner 
which reduces the obligation for repayment of construction costs 
for those units of the Wapato Indian Irrigation Project from which 
such funds were generated. 
SEC. 8. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO SOUTHERN ARIZONA WATER 
RIGHTS SETTLEMENT ACT OF 1982. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—^This section may be cited as the "Southern 
Arizona Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act of 
1992". 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—The Southern Arizona Water 
Rights Settlement Act of 1982 is amended as follows: 
(1) in section 313(bXlXA), delete "paragraph (3)" and insert 
in lieu thereof "paragraph (2)"; 
(2) in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of section 313(bXlXB), delete 
"(adjusted as provided in paragraph (2))" each place it appears 
and insert in heu thereof "which has been"; 
(3) in section 313(b)(1)(C), immediately before the period 
at the end thereof, insert a comma and the following: "including 
all interest which has accrued to the Fund since the Fund 
was established and all interest which accrued on contributions 
and appropriations to the Fimd from October 12, 1985, to 
the date of the enactment of the Southern Arizona Water 
Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act of 1992"; 
(4) in subsection (b), delete paragraph (2) and renumber 
paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); 
(5) amend section 313 by adding at the end thereof the 
following new subsection: 
"(gXD Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (e), if no 
funds contributed to the Cooperative Fimd pursuant to subsection 
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
106 STAT. 3257 
(bXl)(B) (or accrued interest thereon) have been returned to any 
of the contributors, the Cooperative Fund shall not be terminated; 
except that, if the final judgment in the lawsuit referred to in 
section 307(aXlXC) does not dismiss all claims against the defend-
ants named therein, the Cooperative Fund shall be terminated 
and the Secretary of the Treasury shall return all amounts contrib-
uted to the Fund (together with a ratable share of the remaining 
accrued interest) to the respective contributors. 
''(2)(A) If the share contributed to the Cooperative Fund by 
the United States has been deposited in the General Fund of 
the Treasury pursuant to subsection (e), there is authorized to 
be appropriated to the Cooperative Fund the amount so deposited 
in the General Fund of the Treasiiry, adjusted to include £in amount 
representing the additional interest which would have been earned 
by the Cooperative Fund if that portion had not been deposited 
in the (jreneral Fimd of the Treasury. 
''(B) If the final judgment in the lawsuit referred to in section 
307(a)(1)(C) does not (tismiss all claims against the defendants 
named therein, the share of the Cooperative Fimd contributed by 
the United States shall be deposited in the General Fund of the 
Treasury."; 
(6) in section 304(eX2), delete ", as long as such water 96 Stat. 1276. 
is used for irrigation of Indian lands"; 
(7) in section 306(c), by adding at the end thereof the 96 Stat. 1279. 
following new paragraph: 
"(3) For the purpose of determining allocation and repajntnent 
of costs of the Central Arizona Project as provided in article 9.3 
of contract numbered 14-06-W-245 between the United States 
of America and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, 
dated December 1, 1988, and any amendment or revision thereof, 
the costs associated with the deUvery of Central Arizona Project 
water imder the sales, exchanges or temporary dispositions herein 
authorized shall be nonreimbursable, and such costs shall be 
excluded from such District's repayment obligation."; and 
(8) in sections 313(cXlXA), 304(cXl) and 305(dXl), imme- 96 Stat. 1284. 
diately after "10 yeara" each place it appears, insert "and 9 ^ ^' ^^^' 
months". 
SEC. 9. AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS ACT 
OF 1974. 
(a) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN PROJECTS.— 
The second sentence of section 803(a) of the Native American Pro-
grams Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2991b(a)) is amended by striking 
", subject to the availability of funds appropriated under the author-
ity of section 816(c),". 
(b) DEFINITION.—Section 815 of the Native American Programs 
Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992c) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4) by striking "; and" at the end, 
(2) in paragraph (5) by striking the period at the end 
and inserting "; and", and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
"(6) the term 'Native American Pacific Islander* means 
an inidividual who is indigenous to a United States territory 
or possession located in the Pacific Ocean, and includes such 
individual while residing in the United States.". 
106 STAT. 3258 
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
Ak-Chin 
Water Use 
Amendments 
Act of 1992. 
Indian 
Environmental 
General 
Assistance 
Program Act of 
1992. 
42 use 4368b. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 816 of the 
Native American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2992d) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (c), and 
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c). 
SEC. 10. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO AK-CHIN WATER USE ACT OF 
1984. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the "Ak-Chin 
Water Use Amendments Act of 1992". 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF WATER.—Section 2(j) of the Act 
of October 19, 1984 (Public Law 98-530; 98 Stat. 2698) is amended 
to read as follows: 
"(j) The Ak-Chin Indian Commimity (hereafter in this Act 
referred to as the 'Community*) shall have the right to devote 
the permanent water supply provided for bv this Act to any use, 
including agricultural, municipal, industrial, commercial, mining, 
recreational or other beneficial use, in the areas initially designated 
as the Pinal, Phoenix and Tucson Active Management Areas pursu-
ant to the Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980, laws 
1980, fourth special session, chapter 1. The community is authorized 
to lease or enter into an option to lease, extend leases, exchange 
or temporarily dispose of water to which it is entitled for beneficial 
use in the areas initially designated as the Pinal, Phoenix and 
Tucson Active Management Areas pursuant to the Arizona Ground-
water Management Act of 1980, laws 1980, fourth special session, 
chapter 1: Provided, That the term of any such lease shall not 
exceed 100 years and the Community may not permanently alienate 
any water right. In the event the Community leases, extends leases, 
exchanges or temporarily disposes of water, such action shall be 
pursuant to a contract that has been accepted and ratified by 
a resolution of the Ak-Chin Indian Community Council and 
approved and executed by the Secretary.". 
SEC. 11. AMENDMENT. 
The Act entitled "An Act to authorize certain appropriations 
for the territories of the United States, to amend certain Acts 
relating thereto, and for other purposes", approved October 15, 
1977 (91 Stat. 1159), is amended by adding at the end thereof 
the following: 
"SEC. 502. GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
"(a) SHORT TITLE.—^This section may be cited as the 'Indian 
Environmental General Assistance Program Act of 1992'. 
"(b) PURPOSES.—^The purposes of this section are to— 
"(1) provide general assistance grants to Indian tribal 
governments and intertribal consortia to build capacity to 
administer environmental regulatory programs that may be 
* 
delegated by the Environmental Protection Agency on Indian 
lands; and 
"(2) provide technical assistance from the Environmental 
• ^ Protection Agency to Indian tribal governments and intertribal 
consortia in the development of multimedia programs to address 
environmental issues on Indian lands. 
"(c) DEFINITIONS.—^For purposes of this section: 
"(1) The term 'Indian tribal government' means any Indian 
tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, 
including any Alaska Native village or regional or village cor-
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
106 STAT. 3259 
Grants. 
Environmental 
protection. 
poration (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska 
Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C.A 1601, et seq.)), 
which is recognized as eligible for the special services provided 
by the United States to Indians because of their status as 
Indians. 
"(2) The term 'intertribal consortia' or 'intertribal consor-
tium' means a partnership between two or more Indian tribal 
governments authorized by the governing bodies of those tribes 
to apply for and receive assistance pursuant to this section. 
"(3) The term 'Administrator* means the Administrator of 
the Environmental Pi'otection Agency. 
"(d) GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—(1) The Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish an Indian 
Environmental General Assistance Program that provides grants 
to eligible Indian tribal governments or intertribal consortia to 
cover the costs of planning, developing, and establishing environ-
mental protection programs on Indian lands. 
"(2) Each grant awarded for general assistance under this sub-
section for a fiscal year shall be no less than $75,000, and no 
single grant may be awarded to an Indian tribal government or 
intertribal consortium for more than 10 percent of the funds appro-
priated under subsection (h) of this section. 
"(3) The term of any general assistance award made under 
this subsection may exceed one year. Any awards made pursuant 
to this section shall remain available imtil expended. An Indian 
tribal government or intertribal consortium may receive a general 
assistance grant for a period of up to four years in each specific 
media area. 
"(e) No REDUCTION IN AMOUNTS.—In no case shall the award 
of a general assistance grant to an Indian tribal government or 
intertribal consortium under this section result in a reduction of 
Environmental Protection Agency grants for environmental pro-
grams to that tribal government or consortium. Nothing in this 
section shall preclude an Indian tribal government or intertribal 
consortium from receiving individual media grants or cooperative 
agreements. Funds provided by the Environmental Protection 
Agency through the general assistance program shall be used by 
an Indian tribal government or intertribal consortium to supplement 
other funds provided by the Environmental Protection Agency 
through individual media grants or cooperative agreements. 
"(f) 
EXPENDITURE OF 
GENERAL ASSISTANCE.—Any general 
assistance under this section shall be expended for the purpose 
of planning, developing, and establishing the capability to imple-
ment programs administered by the Environmental Protection 
Agency and specified in the assistance agreement. Purposes and 
programs authorized under this section shall include the develop-
ment and implementation of solid and hazardous waste programs 
for Indian lands. An Indian tribal government or intertribal consor-
tium receiving general assistance pursuant to this section shall 
utilize such funds for programs and purposes to be carried out 
in accordance with the terms of the assistance agreement. 
"(g) PROCEDURES.—(1) Within 12 months following the date Regulations 
of the enactment of this section, the Administrator shall promulgate 
regulations establishing procedures under which an Indian tribal 
government or intertribal consortium may apply for general assist-
ance grants under this section. 
106 STAT. 3260 
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
Federal 
Register, 
publication. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
Yvonne LeComu 
Salazar. 
Andres Manuel 
Salfizar. 
Shaan-Seet, Inc. 
''(2) The Administrator shall publish regulations issued pursu-
ant to this section in the Federal Register. 
"(3) The Administrator shall establish procedures for account-
ing, auditing, evaluating, and reviewing any programs or activities 
funded in whole or in part for a general assistance grant under 
this section. 
"(h) AUTHORIZATION.—^There are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out the provisions of this section, $15,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 1993 and 1994.". 
SEC. 12. ENROLLMENT AS NATIVES. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
the Interior is authorized and directed to enroll the following-
named individuals as Natives imder the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act (Public Law 92-203): Yvonne LeComu Salazar and 
Andres Manuel Salazar. Each individual is entitled to receive 100 
shares of stock in Shaan-Seet, Inc. and such other benefits as 
the board of directors of that corporation may approve. No individ-
ual enrolled pursuant to this Act shall be entitled to share in 
any dividends or Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act distributions 
made by the United States or Shaan-Seet, Inc. prior to the individ-
ual's enrollment. Nor shall this Act alter saia individual's rights 
to receive dividends or Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act dis-
tributions made by Sealaska Corporation prior to the individual's 
enrollment in Shaan-Seet. Enrollment of these individuals shall 
not alter the entitlement to or distribution of land to any corporation 
under the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. 
SEC. 13. TRANSFER OF BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS' ADMINISTRA-
TIVE SITE IN BETHEL, ALASKA TO THE YUKON KUSKOKWIM 
HEALTH CORPORATION. 
(a) CONVEYANCE.—^To the extent consistent with this section 
and applicable Federal and State environmental laws, the Secretary 
of the Interior, notwithstanding section 1302(h) of the Alaska 
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3192(h)), shall 
convey, in fee, the buildings of the former Bureau of Indian Affairs 
Bethel Agency, Bethel, Alaska, and lands necessary for the use 
of these buildings, but not to exceed 27 acres of the Agency site, 
to the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (hereafter referred 
to as the "Corporation"). Such conveyance shall be made on terms 
mutually agreed on between the Secretary of the Interior and 
the Corporation. TTie Secretary may require that the Corporation, 
as exclusive consideration for this conveyance, enter into an agree-
ment under which the Corporation agrees to indemnify the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
for any liability arising out of the operation and maintenance of 
any response at the property concerning asbestos. The conveyance 
required by this section shall be made, subject to subsection (b)(2), 
prior to September 30,1993. 
(b) ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE.—^Prior to the conveyance of the 
property to the Corporation pursuant to subsection (a), for responses 
that are necessary under applicable Federal and State laws to 
protect human health and the environment with respect to any 
nazardous substance or hazardous waste remaining on the property, 
the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Air Force 
shall— 
(1) complete and equally share the cost of such response, 
or 
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
106 STAT. 3261 
(2) grant and equally share the cost of such grant to the 
Corporation an amount equal to the cost of such response, 
except that such grant shall be used to complete such response 
prior to the conveyance of the property. 
(c) Notwithstanding any other Federal law, except with respect 
to liability arising from the operation and maintenance of the prop-
erty, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs shall not be liable under any Federal law for 
anv additional response necessary for asbestos at the property 
following its conveyance to the Corporation pursuant to the author-
ity of subsection (a). Nothing in this section shall Eiffect any liabilibr 
of any person other than the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 
(d) EASEMENT.—^The conveyance under this section shall reserve 
an easement for access to adjacent areas of the Yukon Delta 
National Wildlife Refuge, if determined necessary by the Secretary. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—^As used in this section: 
(1) The terms "response", "hazardous substance", "person", 
and "environment" as used herein shall have the meaning 
of such terms as provided in the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 
et seq.). 
(2) The term "hazardous waste" shall have the meaning 
of such term as provided in the Solid Waste Disposal A(^ 
(42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.). 
SEC. 14. REGULATION OF CLASS III GAMING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 11(d)(1) of the Indian 
Montana. 
Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2710(d)(1), during the six-month 
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, any 
class III gaming activity conducted on Indian lands in the State 
of Montana shall be lawful if such gaming activity— 
(1) is conducted in accordance with State law made 
applicable by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act; and 
(2) was owned or being conducted on May 1, 1988. 
(b) INAPPLICABILITY OF ACT OF JANUARY 2, 1951.—During the 
six-month period specified in subsection (a), the provisions of section 
5 of the Act of January 2, 1951 (15 U.S.C. 1175), shall not apply 
to any gaming activity described in such subsection which meets 
the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection. 
SEC. 15. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this section, the terms "Indian lands" and 
"class III gaming" have the meaning given such terms in section 
4 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703). 
SEC. 16. CONFORMING AMENDMENT. 
Section 4(7)(E) of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 
2703(7)(E)) is amended by striking "or Montana". 
SEC. 17. SETTLEMENT OF LAWSUIT. 
The Act of October 25, 1972 (86 Stat. 1168), is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following new section: 
•«EC. 306. AUTHORITY TO SETTLE ACTION. 
"Notwithstanding any provision of this Act or any other provi-
sion of law, the Attorney General is authorized to negotiate and 
settle any action that may be or has been brought to contest 
106 STAT. 3262 
PUBLIC LAW 102-497—OCT. 24, 1992 
the constitutionality or validity iinder law of the distribution to 
all other Sisseton and Wahpeton Sioux provided for in section 
202 of this Act.". 
Approved October 24, 1992. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5686: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 102-774 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 102-428 (Select Comm. on Indian Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 138 (1992): 
Aug. 3, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 1, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Oct. 3, House concurred in Senate amendment.