Public land transfer bill

[BrockW]

H.R. 2405/ S.1088

Currently, there is approximately 37,000 acres of surface Trust lands within reservations. Most of which are in the standing rock reservation. If this bill passes those acres would then belong to the tribe. The state would then get to pick from another approx 180,000 acres of mineral acres from the BLM that would be transferred to the state.

This transfer would happen no public involvement, no public comment, and could result in a huge loss of public land acres in western ND.

It’s important to note that it’s not a guarantee this bill results in a negative impact to public land holdings. But again, it could result in a significant loss of public land depending one the details of the transfer.

North Dakota BHA wants transparency in this process. We may not oppose certain transfers if it’s a fair deal for the public hunters. But we want to know which acres of surface and mineral are being targeted, and why the Tribe is not being asked to trade 10,000 acres they’ve purchased outside of the fort berthold on the SW corner of the reservation. See below.

Red line is approx reservation boundary

With any public land transfer the public should be able to participate in the process and comment on which lands they are ok with transferring and which they are not.

Instead, our federal delegation will not respond to any requests about transparency and will not give any information as to which acres (surface or mineral) are being targeted.

The trust lands department has already sold off over 70% of the lands granted at statehood through the enabling act. And there is nothing that would prevent them from trading lands and then turning around selling them off.

I will update when I know more. For now, we are opposing this bill due to a lack of transparency. We do not support open ended land transfers that could result in the loss of 10s of thousand of acres of public land, public access, and public hunting opportunities.

 

[Rowdie]

WTF?

 

[Kurtr]

So since standing rock is in both states how does that work

 

[risingsun]

So since standing rock is in both states how does that work

They both lose!!!!! Standard procedure dealing with sovereign nations.

 

[Rowdie]

A lot of the allotments are in trust and owned by INDIVIDUAL tribal members. Many sold their land back to tribe not too many years ago

 

[BrockW]

So since standing rock is in both states how does that work

To my understanding this only impacts ND trust lands.


There is some variability to here, this is not a straight forward deal. But the final result could mean the tribe would walk away with 37,000 acres of additional lands and not have to subject the lands they bought outside of the reservation to trade. The trusts lands department could gain mineral acres or surface acres.

If it’s just mineral acres, the public hunter loses out on 37,000 acres of trust lands. Reducing total trust lands surface acres to 669,000 acres. Down from 706,000 where it currently.

If the BLM trades prime, undeveloped BLM acres to the state. Will they be subject to road building and therefor no longer be the same quality of wildlife habitat? Will they be sold by the trust lands department?

We deserve to know!

 

[Lycanthrope]

Who is pushing this and why?

 

[BrockW]

Who is pushing this and why?

I don’t know where this stemmed from exactly.

 

[Trip McNeely]

What type of trust land? State school land/tribal trust land? If it’s school trust land on reservations we are talking about then I agree a trade could be made as many don’t bother accessing it when it’s enveloped within reservation lands…. but not a trade for already public federal lands. At the end it would still result in a net loss for public lands. Any trades need to equal the same acres public as before.

 

[BrockW]

What type of trust land? State school land/tribal trust land? If it’s school trust land on reservations we are talking about then I agree a trade could be made as many don’t bother accessing it when it’s enveloped within reservation lands…. but not a trade for already public federal lands. At the end it would still result in a net loss for public lands. Any trades need to equal the same acres public as before.

State Trust surface acres and would go the tribe. “Equivalent appraised value” BLM federal and mineral would be subject to transfer to the state.

BLM Lands mandate multiple use, have always been open to public hunting, and wildlife and habitat play a role in management decision. State trust lands can be closed to the public and do not manage for wildlife, habitat, or hunting access. The status quo for hunting should be maintained in any land transfer.

Some lands might be okay to transfer. Some might not on the account of habitat or wildlife. There should be a transparent and public process, and a way to oppose deals. There is currently no legal requirement to involve residents at all.

Lots of things to consider.

 

[Trip McNeely]

State Trust surface acres and would go the tribe. “Equivalent appraised value” BLM federal and mineral would be subject to transfer to the state.

BLM Lands mandate multiple use, have always been open to public hunting, and wildlife and habitat play a role in management decision. State trust lands can be closed to the public and do not manage for wildlife, habitat, or hunting access. The status quo for hunting should be maintained in any land transfer.

Some lands might be okay to transfer. Some might not on the account of habitat or wildlife. There should be a transparent and public process, and a way to oppose deals. There is currently no legal requirement to involve residents at all.

Lots of things to consider.

Still seems like a bullshit deal. Lands already accessible to all being traded for lands already accessible to all……. There’s a reason it’s so hush hush. Where’s the money….. who wants what from the deal? It’s not for the betterment of the general public I can fkn tell you that much. otherwise they’d be touting how awesome they are and look at what I did. No this stinks. It needs to be a 1 for 1 acre for acre retention of public lands. The deal proposed makes now available public lands off limits or tribaly owned and trades to the people of the state already publicly held federal trust land? Someone’s cooking…….

 

[Trip McNeely]

Furthermore. Not only should the status quo be maintained on any public land transfer. All state trust lands should be managed as multi-use and cannot be “shut-down” because a rancher that leases it for less than market rates has 7 old cows in it

 

[Trip McNeely]

However you do the math the end result is the citizens of ND get fked out of public access acres….PLUS the potential that the newly transferred federal to state acres could be shut down or managed to a lesser level than they are by the feds now….. holy shit hard pass on this deal

 

[scrotcaster]

This is horrible,, We must fight this if we lose out on more state land !! Thanks for letting us know Brock

 

[Allen]

Is the TAT trying to expand their reservation boundaries by purchasing land off the reservation?

 

[ndlongshot]

Obviously the state wants the mineral profit more than any surface benefits.

 

[BrockW]

Is the TAT trying to expand their reservation boundaries by purchasing land off the reservation?

That is my understanding.

 

[Rowdie]

That is my understanding.

I see nothing wrong with that. IF the people of the state are aware and agree to it.

 

[Allen]

Obviously the state wants the mineral profit more than any surface benefits.

I think you may have missed the part where when it comes to minerals (at least), the State was in a net zero win/loss situation. Hence, my question about TAT. Someone is winning in this, and if it's not the State or Feds, that really only leaves TAT.

 

[Allen]

I see nothing wrong with that. IF the people of the state are aware and agree to it.

Yeah, TAT has been trying for years to get control of everything along Sak that is currently held by the Corps at an elevation of around 1854 (or, was it 1860?). There's no good in that for the State or its non-native residents in such a land transfer to the Tribal Governments. They get it incorporated into the boundary of the reservation and that completely changes access to non-natives.