Sponsors (7)
The bill increases Tribal roles, funding, and incorporation of Indigenous knowledge in federal land management—boosting Tribal authority, jobs, and environmental stewardship—while raising federal costs and creating potential legal, administrative, and timing challenges for agencies, Tribes, and local communities.
Indigenous tribal governments and tribal-lands residents gain formal co-management roles and greater voice over federal land decisions, increasing Tribal authority and self-determination in land management.
Rural communities and tribal lands stand to see improved ecosystem health and restoration outcomes because Indigenous knowledge and co-management accelerate and inform restoration and resource management projects.
Indigenous-tribal-communities gain expanded economic and job opportunities from Tribal-led planning, restoration, and recreation work on National Forest lands backed by predictable funding and required agreements.
Taxpayers and federal agencies will face increased costs (planning, coordination, training, and a $50M implementation appropriation) that may require reallocating funds from other programs or hiring additional staff.
Ambiguities and statutory limits (e.g., scope of permissive activities, conflicts with existing contracts, and prohibition on delegating nondelegable functions) create legal and coordination risks that could produce disputes, limit Tribal authority in practice, or constrain project scope.
Communities that rely on ongoing projects (rural and recreation users) could see delays if agencies pause work to identify Tribal relationships, incorporate co-management plans, or if Tribal proposals require review and revision.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires federal land agencies to adopt Tribal Co-Management Plans, trains Interior staff on Indigenous knowledge, and lets the Forest Service contract with Tribes for forest activities.
Introduced May 15, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress May 15, 2025
Requires major federal land management agencies to create Tribal Co-Management Plans for lands that are historically, culturally, or geographically related to Indian Tribes and that need specified activities, and directs the Forest Service to enter into at least five agreements with Tribes to carry out forest activities on National Forest System lands. Also requires Interior employees working on these plans to receive training on Indigenous knowledge, tribal history, and the federal trust relationship, and allows use of ISDEAA-style contracts and other agreement authorities while preserving legal and environmental requirements.