§441n Lands outside gunnery range; exchange of lands; reservation of mineral rights; grazing and mineral development rights of Indians; execution of instruments; trust title

Summary

The United States can give certain federal lands in the Badlands Air Force gunnery range and some park lands to the Oglala Sioux Tribe in return for two things: the U.S. getting the right to use any tribal land inside the park for park purposes (like managing fish and wildlife and building visitor or office facilities), and the U.S. getting title to 3,115.63 acres of Oglala Sioux land in the gunnery range area that are not excess to the Air Force and are part of civil action number 859 W.D. in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, if the Tribal Council agrees. Transferred lands may have life estates or park use rules, including protections for the black-footed ferret. Both the United States and the Tribe will keep their mineral rights. The Tribal Council may sign the exchange papers and the Secretary may sign for the United States. After the exchange, the Tribe’s new title will be held in trust under the same rules as its other trust lands. The U.S. right to use tribal land owned before August 8, 1968 will not stop the Tribe from grazing or developing minerals, including oil and gas.