S. 4439 – Reading Mode

One Hundred Seventeenth Congress of the United States of America

2d Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty two

S. 4439

AN ACT

To take certain Federal land located in Siskiyou County, California, and Humboldt County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Karuk Tribe, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act.

Land held in trust for the Karuk Tribe

(a)

Findings

Congress finds that—

(1)

the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land is located in the ancestral territory of the Karuk Tribe; and

(2)

the Karuk Tribe has historically used, and has an ongoing relationship with, the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land

The term Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land means the approximately 1,031 acres of Federal land, including improvements and appurtenances to the Federal land, located in Siskiyou County, California, and Humboldt County, California, and generally depicted as Proposed Area on the map of the Forest Service entitled Katimiîn Area Boundary Proposal and dated August 9, 2021.

(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(c)

Administrative transfer

Administrative jurisdiction of the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land is hereby transferred from the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary, subject to the condition that the Chief of the Forest Service shall continue to manage the component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System that flows through the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land.

(d)

Land held in trust

The Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land is hereby taken into trust by the Secretary for the benefit of the Karuk Tribe, subject to—

(1)

valid existing rights, contracts, and management agreements relating to easements and rights-of-way; and

(2)

continued access by the Chief of the Forest Service for the purpose of managing the component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System that flows through the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam land.

(e)

Survey

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide to the Secretary a complete survey of the land taken into trust under subsection (d).

(f)

Use of land

(1)

In general

Land taken into trust under subsection (d) may be used for traditional and customary uses for the benefit of the Karuk Tribe.

(2)

Gaming

Class II and class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) shall not be allowed on the land taken into trust under subsection (d).

(g)

Wild and Scenic Rivers management

(1)

In general

Nothing in this section affects the status or administration of any component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, including any component that flows through the land taken into trust under subsection (d).

(2)

Memorandum of understanding

The Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Karuk Tribe, consistent with the obligations of the Secretary of Agriculture under subsection (c), to establish mutual goals for the protection and enhancement of the river values of any component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System that flows through the land taken into trust under subsection (d).

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate