The House Natural Resources Committee has passed two bills introduced by Congressman Mark Amodei of Nevada's Second Congressional District.
H.R. 2455, the Nevada Native Nations Lands Act, includes seven tribal lands measures, as well as a smaller purchase by the City of Elko. And H.R. 3716, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Fish Springs Ranch Settlement Act, would approve an agreement reached by the two parties. The next step for the bills will be a vote by the full House.
"These are all cases where local control and economic self-determination are preferable to Washington-centric management by a federal agency," said Amodei. "These lands will enable the tribes to chart brighter futures for their communities and to better preserve their cultural heritage."
Among the tribal land transfers proposed in the bill is one that would transfer approximately 19,094 acres of BLM land in Humboldt County to the Fort McDermitt Paiute Shoshone Tribe. The land would be held in trust to resolve checkerboard lands issues, help address law enforcement and emergency personnel jurisdictional questions, and enable the tribe to plan for housing development. In 1971, U.S. Senators Bible and Cannon from Nevada introduced a similar bill, but the legislation did not make it through the process and was never re-introduced.
Another part of the bill proposes a transfer of approximately 941 acres of BLM land in Humboldt County to the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe. According to language in the bill, the land would be held in trust for protection and management of Summit Lake's natural resources and fish population and to unify the reservation around Summit Lake.
The Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians would benefit from the transfer approximately 28,162 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Elko County. The land would be held in trust to allow the South Fork Reservation to expand grazing and agriculture, develop housing, protect cultural and archeological areas, and to resolve checkerboard issues.
The bill would also transfer approximately 373 acres of BLM land in Elko County to be held in trust for residential development, recreation and conservation.
The Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation would see the transfer of approximately 82 acres of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land in Elko County to be held in trust for housing and infrastructure to address the reservation housing shortage and to recruit doctors, nurses, law enforcement, conservation officers, and first responders.
The bill also proposes transfer of approximately 13,434 acres of BLM land in Washoe County for the benefit of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. The land would be held in trust for the creation of a safety buffer around the Hungry Valley community. That community's housing is currently surrounded by BLM lands to the north, west and east, where multiple activities routinely occur, some permitted by the BLM and others prohibited, that illicit safety and quality of life concerns from residents. Such activities include off-roading, target shooting, illegal dumping, and unauthorized motorcycle racing. The lands also hold cultural significance and several of the landscape features are used for traditional religious practices and are a source of medicinal plants.
H.R. 2455 would transfer approximately 30,669 acres of BLM land in Washoe County to be held in trust for the benefit of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. The land would expand the reservation boundary to fully incorporate the watershed of Pyramid Lake. Other sections near the lake would be used for potential economic development and management efficiency. H.R. 3716 would approve a settlement between the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and the Fish Springs Ranch. It protects a private water project and reasonably compensates the tribe from private funds for any actual or potential resource loss without the use of taxpayer dollars.
Amodei's legislation also proposes that Elko County be allowed to purchase approximately 275 acres of BLM land at fair market value to establish a motocross, bicycle, off-roading or stock car racing area. The county would also pay administrative costs and any costs associated with surveys for the preparation and completion of the transfer.
[[In-content Ad]]
