S. 5287 – Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 7:25 PM UTC

The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act takes about 1,083 acres of federal land in Olympic National Park, Washington, into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and adds it to the tribe’s reservation. The law directs the Department of the Interior to manage the land, removes the need for appraisal or equalization compensation, and prohibits the land from being used for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. It also confirms that the bill does not affect the tribe’s existing treaty rights.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of the Interior will place the specified the 1,082.63 acres of federal land shown on the “Olympic National Park” map into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
The land becomes part of the tribe’s reservation and is not subject to valuation, appraisal, or equalization requirements under any federal law.
The portion of the Elwha River on the land is managed according to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, with any necessary modifications required by the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act.
The Secretary can make minor boundary adjustments adjustments or correct mapping errors for the land taken into trust.
The land taken into trust cannot be considered Indian land for the purposes of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, meaning no gaming gaming is permitted on it.
The act does not affect the tribe’s treaty rights under the 1855 Point No Point treaty.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Indian Affairs Committee

September 25, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 25, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Indian Affairs Committee

September 25, 2024

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 25, 2024

II

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5287

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 25, 2024

Ms. Cantwell (for herself and Mrs. Murray) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

A BILL

To take certain Federal land in the State of Washington into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Project Lands Restoration Act.

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.).

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).