Sponsors
The bill returns substantial ancestral land to the Yuhaaviatam and protects nearby public forestland and a historic landmark, while placing upfront costs and some control/review limits on the Tribe and reducing certain public procedural protections.
The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is granted legal title to ~1,475 acres of ancestral land, restoring tribal land base and cultural stewardship.
Residents and visitors to San Bernardino National Forest see ~1,460 acres added to the forest under federal conservation management, keeping the land in public conservation status.
Local governments and indigenous communities gain protection for the Arrowhead landmark through a required preservation agreement that safeguards its historical and cultural integrity.
The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation must pay for the non‑Federal land survey, imposing an upfront financial cost on the Tribe.
The Nation's ability to fully control or develop some transferred parcels may be limited because the Forest Service retains easements on Federal roads, restricting use of parts of the land.
Local governments and the public have reduced procedural protections and opportunities for review because the exchange is exempted from FLPMA §206 procedures.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced June 11, 2025 by Jay Obernolte · Last progress June 11, 2025
Requires a land exchange between roughly 1,475 acres of National Forest System land and about 1,460 acres owned by the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, subject to surveys, minor boundary corrections, and conditions. The Forest Service must reserve easements for access on specified roads, the tribe must enter a recorded preservation agreement for a cultural landmark within 120 days of enactment, and lands acquired by the United States will become part of the San Bernardino National Forest and be managed under applicable law.