Sponsors (7)
The bill substantially expands Tribal roles, funding, and Indigenous-informed stewardship on federal lands—benefiting tribes, ecosystems, and local jobs—but requires new federal spending, adds implementation complexity, and leaves limits on Tribal authority that may constrain full self-determination.
Indigenous tribal governments and communities will gain formal co-management roles and direct authority to undertake planning, restoration, and recreation work on federal lands (including National Forests), increasing tribal control over land management and creating local job opportunities.
Local ecosystems and recreation users will benefit because co-management and Tribal-led projects integrate Indigenous knowledge and culturally informed practices, improving restoration, stewardship, and land management outcomes.
Tribes will get more reliable federal support and implementation capacity through predictable funding and a requirement for multiple Tribal agreements (at least five over four years), increasing the scale and consistency of Tribal-led forest work.
Taxpayers and federal agencies will face increased costs—including a $50 million implementation appropriation plus additional planning, staffing, and training expenses—which could require reallocating funds from other programs.
Rural communities and project stakeholders may experience delays or reduced capacity for existing projects while agencies pause to identify tribal relationships, negotiate co-management plans, or reassign staff time.
Ambiguities about the scope of permissible activities and coordination requirements could spark interagency disputes or legal challenges, slowing implementation and creating uncertainty for Tribes and agencies.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires Federal land agencies to adopt Tribal Co-Management Plans, mandates DOI training on Indigenous knowledge, and authorizes Forest Service agreements with Tribes to carry out forest activities.
Official title: To direct Federal land management agencies of the Department of the Interior to establish Tribal Co-Management Plans and to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for the performance of certain activities of the Forest Service, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 15, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress May 15, 2025
Requires major Federal land management agencies to adopt Tribal Co-Management Plans for agency lands that are historically or culturally related to Indian Tribes, trains Department of the Interior employees on Tribal history, Indigenous knowledge, and the federal trust relationship, and authorizes the Forest Service to enter into agreements or ISDEAA-style contracts with Tribes to perform specified National Forest System activities, with a minimum number of agreements required over four years.