H.R. 2252 — North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2026

This section defines terms used in the Act, including "North Dakota Enabling Act" (Act of February 22, 1889), "reservation" (any Indian reservation located wholly or partially within North Dakota), "Secretary" (Secretary of the Interior), "State" (North Dakota acting through the Board of University and School Lands and Department of Trust Lands), "state land grant parcel" (lands granted to North Dakota on statehood, sections 16 or 36 for schools, indemnity selections, or other post-statehood acquisitions), and "unappropriated Federal land" (Bureau of Land Management public lands in North Dakota, excluding acquired lands, areas of critical environmental concern under 43 U.S.C. 1712(c)(3), withdrawn lands, National Landscape Conservation System components, Research Natural Areas, reservations, specified townships, military reservations, and congressionally or presidentially designated conservation lands).

This section defines terms used in the Act, including "North Dakota Enabling Act" (Act of February 22, 1889), "reservation" (any Indian reservation located wholly or partially within North Dakota), "Secretary" (Secretary of the Interior), "State" (North Dakota acting through the Board of University and School Lands and Department of Trust Lands), "state land grant parcel" (lands granted to North Dakota on statehood, sections 16 or 36 for schools, indemnity selections, or other post-statehood acquisitions), and "unappropriated Federal land" (Bureau of Land Management public lands in North Dakota, excluding acquired lands, areas of critical environmental concern under 43 U.S.C. 1712(c)(3), withdrawn lands, National Landscape Conservation System components, Research Natural Areas, reservations, specified townships, military reservations, and congressionally or presidentially designated conservation lands).

This section defines terms used in the Act, including the North Dakota Enabling Act, Indian reservations in the state, the Secretary of the Interior, the State of North Dakota, state land grant parcels, and unappropriated Federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management with specified exclusions.

This section authorizes a state to relinquish all right, title, and interest in a state land grant parcel located wholly or partially within reservation boundaries—subject to valid existing rights—in exchange for selection of one or more parcels of unappropriated federal land of substantially equivalent value, which the Secretary must approve or reject in whole or in part not later than 180 days after the state's selection list for each phase (with adjustments allowed not later than 120 days after list delivery). The Secretary must initiate conveyance of approved federal land to the state not later than 60 days after approval (by patent or deed, not considered a sale, exchange, or conveyance under specified Federal Land Policy and Management Act provisions); concurrently, the state must relinquish and convey the state parcel to the Secretary (free of financial encumbrances, not considered an exchange or acquisition under specified Federal Land Policy and Management Act provisions). Successors to conveyed lands assume prior rights and obligations (e.g., leases, permits); prior to conveyance of reservation parcels, the state and Secretary must consult affected Indian tribes per Executive Order 13175 and other laws; and, on an applicable tribe's request, the Secretary must take into trust the conveyed reservation portion for the tribe's benefit, making it part of the reservation. Selected federal lands are withdrawn from entry, appropriation, mining, and mineral/geothermal disposition from selection until conveyance, rejection, or state withdrawal.

This section authorizes a State to relinquish all right, title, and interest in a State land grant parcel located wholly or partially within a reservation and to select one or more parcels of unappropriated Federal land of substantially equivalent value. The Secretary must approve or reject the selection within 180 days after the State makes it and must initiate conveyance of approved Federal land by patent or deed within 60 days. As consideration, the State must concurrently convey the relinquished parcel to the Secretary free of financial claims or encumbrances; such conveyances are not treated as sales, exchanges, or acquisitions under sections 203, 205, 206, or 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Each party succeeds to the rights and obligations under any existing leases, rights-of-way, or permits. On request of the affected Indian Tribe, the Secretary must take the relinquished parcel into trust for the Tribe and add it to the reservation. The State and the Secretary must consult with affected Indian Tribes before any such conveyance. Selected Federal land is withdrawn from entry, appropriation, mining, and mineral or geothermal leasing from the date of selection until conveyance, rejection, or withdrawal of the selection.

This section authorizes a State to relinquish State land grant parcels located wholly or partially within a reservation in exchange for unappropriated Federal land of substantially equivalent value. It permits phased selections with 120-day value adjustments, requires Secretarial approval or rejection within 180 days and conveyance within 60 days, places relinquished reservation land into trust for the benefiting Indian Tribe upon request, mandates tribal consultation before conveyance, and withdraws selected Federal land from entry, mining, and mineral leasing until conveyance, rejection, or withdrawal of the selection.

This section establishes valuation requirements for exchanges of State land grant parcels for parcels of unappropriated Federal land, requiring substantially equal values or equalization via cash payment or ledger account if the State parcel is of lesser value (with equalization not exceeding 25% of the Federal parcel's value). It further requires appraisals by jointly selected independent appraisers using the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (or Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice), except for low-value parcels under $500,000 total and $500 per acre, which may use mass appraisals, summary appraisals, or statements of value with State consent (prohibiting artificial division to qualify). The section authorizes ledger accounts to track value imbalances for reconciliation in future transactions, requiring balance within three years of establishment and closure within five years of the Act's last conveyance; allows cost-sharing adjustments to land values; reduces Federal parcel values for leased minerals in producing/producible status by the State's likely Mineral Leasing Act revenue share (without conferring a State property right); and mandates public inspection of final appraisals 30 days before exchange at the Bureau of Land Management's Montana-Dakotas State Office, plus website and North Dakota newspaper notice.

This section establishes valuation procedures for exchanges of State land grant parcels and unappropriated Federal land under the Act. The parcels must be of substantially equal value, determined by joint appraisals under the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions or the Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice; if values are unequal, the conveying party may equalize through payment or a ledger account, subject to a cap of 25 percent of the Federal parcel’s value for any equalization to the Secretary. For parcels valued at less than $500,000 and less than $500 per acre, the Secretary and State may instead use mass appraisals, summary appraisals, or statements of value. Ledger accounts must be balanced within 3 years of establishment and closed within 5 years of the last conveyance, with adjustments permitted for assumed costs or mineral revenue-sharing obligations under the Mineral Leasing Act.

This section requires equal overall value in exchanges of state land grant parcels for unappropriated federal land, with any imbalance equalized by cash payment or ledger account, capped at 25 percent of the federal parcel's value. Appraisals must follow Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions or Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice, except that parcels valued below $500,000 and $500 per acre may use mass appraisals, summary appraisals, or statements of value. Ledger accounts must balance within 3 years and close within 5 years after the last conveyance. The section also adjusts mineral parcel values to exclude the state's share of federal Mineral Leasing Act revenues and requires public inspection of appraisals 30 days before any exchange.

This section establishes requirements and protections applicable to land and mineral conveyances under the Act, including (1) subjecting conveyed land to all applicable Federal, State, and Tribal laws; (2) preserving all treaty-reserved rights and other rights of Indian Tribes and protecting land or minerals held in trust for Tribes or individual allotments as of enactment; (3) requiring the Secretary (for unappropriated Federal land) or the State (for State land grant parcels) to complete hazardous materials inspections and certifications prior to conveyance, with records made available for review; and (4) allowing existing grazing leases, permits, or contracts to continue for their remaining term post-conveyance (subject to existing terms), authorizing cancellation or modification for nongrazing uses, ensuring conveyed State land continues to qualify as base property for Federal grazing permits, and preserving compensation rights for range improvements.

This section establishes requirements and protections applicable to land and mineral conveyances under the Act, including (1) subjecting conveyed land to all applicable Federal, State, and Tribal laws; (2) preserving all treaty-reserved rights and other rights of Indian Tribes and protecting land or minerals held in trust for Tribes or individual allotments as of enactment; (3) requiring the Secretary (for unappropriated Federal land) or the State (for State land grant parcels) to complete hazardous materials inspections and certifications prior to conveyance, with records made available for review; and (4) allowing existing grazing leases, permits, or contracts to continue for their remaining term post-conveyance (subject to existing terms), authorizing cancellation or modification for nongrazing uses, ensuring conveyed State land continues to qualify as base property for Federal grazing permits, and preserving compensation rights for range improvements.

This section subjects land and minerals conveyed under the Act to all applicable Federal, State, and Tribal laws. It protects Indian treaty rights and lands or minerals held in trust by the United States, as well as individual Indian allotments. It requires the Secretary or the State to complete hazardous materials inspections and certifications before any conveyance. It requires existing grazing permits, leases, or contracts to continue for the remainder of their terms, including base property qualifications and compensation for range improvements.

This section preserves litigation or disputes pending on the date of enactment regarding ownership of land or mineral resources located in North Dakota.

This section preserves litigation or disputes pending on the date of enactment regarding ownership of land or mineral resources located in North Dakota.

This section exempts litigation and disputes pending on the date of enactment regarding the ownership of land or mineral resources in North Dakota from the effects of this Act.