North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Fedorchak
In Committee
Summary
Restoring land and minerals to Indian Tribes within North Dakota. This bill would let the State swap state land grant parcels located wholly or partly inside reservations for unappropriated federal land of substantially equivalent value under defined appraisal and conveyance rules.
Show full summary
- Tribes: Parcels inside a reservation that the State relinquishes would be taken into trust and added to the Tribe's reservation. The Secretary and State must consult with affected Tribes before conveyance.
- State of North Dakota: The State may exchange state land grant parcels for federal land approved by the Secretary and must convey clear title. Equal value is set by independent appraisals using federal standards and equalization cannot exceed 25 percent of the federal land's value; low value parcels at or below $500,000 or $500 per acre may use mass appraisal methods.
- Grazing and leases: Existing leases, grazing rights, permits, and other valid rights attach to transferred land so grazing can continue under current terms. Compensation for range improvements is allowed and leases can be modified or cancelled if the land is later sold or repurposed.
- Public and land management: Selected federal land is withdrawn from entry, location, mining, and related disposition while exchanges proceed. Final appraisals must be posted 30 days before any exchange on the Interior Department website and in a North Dakota newspaper.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Keep leases, grazing, and safety rules
If enacted, the bill would require parties receiving land under the exchange to succeed to existing leases, permits, rights, and obligations to the fullest extent allowed by law. If conveyed land has an active grazing lease or permit, grazing could continue for the remaining term under the same conditions, and holders could be compensated for range improvements under existing law. Before any conveyance, the State and the Secretary would have to share hazardous materials records and complete inspections and certifications, and the State must convey relinquished parcels with clear title free of financial encumbrances.
Tribal trust option for reservation land
If enacted, the bill would require consultation with affected Indian Tribes before conveying State land grant parcels that lie inside reservations. When a relinquished State parcel is wholly or partly inside a reservation, the Tribe could request that the Secretary take the reservation portion into trust on the date of conveyance, and that land would be considered part of the Tribe's reservation. The consultation must follow Executive Order 13175 and other applicable laws.
How land values get set
If enacted, the bill would require independent appraisers chosen by the State and the Secretary to value parcels using federal appraisal standards. If parcel values differ, the lesser-value party would equalize by payment or by a ledger account; payments to the Secretary may not exceed 25 percent of the Federal parcel's value when the State parcel is lesser. Low-value parcels (market value under $500,000 and under $500 per acre) could use simplified mass or summary appraisals, and ledger imbalances must be balanced within 3 years and closed within 5 years.
New rules for picking BLM land
If enacted, the bill would define which BLM parcels in North Dakota count as "unappropriated Federal land" and exclude certain conservation areas, military reservations, reservations, and specified townships. The Secretary would have 180 days to approve or reject a State selection, and must start conveyance actions within 60 days after approval. When the State selects a parcel, that land would be temporarily withdrawn from public entry, mining claims, and mineral leasing laws until conveyance, rejection, or withdrawal of the selection.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Fedorchak
ND • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov