December 10, 2025
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
To take certain Federal land in the State of Washington into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act
.
Sec. 2. Land taken into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Reservation
The term Reservation means the Lower Elwha Indian Reservation, also known as the Lower Elwha Reservation, located in the State of Washington.
(2) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(3) Tribe
The term Tribe means the Lower Elwha Tribal Community, also known as the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, located in the State of Washington.
(b) Land held in trust
(1) In general
Subject to all valid existing rights of the United States, the approximately 1,082.63 acres of Federal land generally depicted as NPS Parcels to be Transferred to Tribe
on the map entitled Olympic National Park Proposed Transfer of Elwha Lands
, numbered 149/178020, and dated December 2021 is hereby taken into and held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Tribe.
(2) Inclusion in reservation
The land taken into trust under paragraph (1) shall be part of the Reservation.
(3) Law applicable to certain land
The land taken into trust under paragraph (1) shall not be subject to any requirements for valuation, appraisal, or equalization under any Federal law.
(c) Land management
Of the land taken into and held in trust under subsection (b)(1), the portion of the Elwha River subject to section 3(c)(3) of the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act (Public Law 102–495; 106 Stat. 3175) shall be managed in accordance with subsection (b) of the first section of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271), except for necessary modifications under section 3(c)(3) of the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act (Public Law 102–495; 106 Stat. 3175).
(d) Map and survey
(1) Boundary adjustment; survey
As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a survey to define the boundaries of the land taken into and held in trust under subsection (b)(1).
(2) Adjustments
The Secretary may—
(A)
make minor boundary adjustments to the land taken into and held in trust under subsection (b)(1); and
(B)
correct any minor errors in any map, acreage estimate, or description of that land.
(e) Gaming prohibition
No land taken into and held in trust for the benefit of the Tribe under this section shall be considered Indian lands for the purpose of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.).
Sec. 3. No impact on treaty rights
Nothing in this Act affects treaty rights under the Treaty between the United States of America and the S'Klallams Indians, concluded at Point no Point, Washington Territory, January 26, 1855 (12 Stat. 933) (commonly known as the Treaty of Point No Point
).