Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025
Description
This bill would place approximately 604 acres of land in California into trust for the Pit River Tribe and prohibit gaming on that land.
Summary
What it does
This bill would direct the Department of the Interior to take approximately 603.94 acres of land in California into trust for the benefit of the Pit River Tribe, making these lands part of the tribe's reservation. The transfer includes roughly 583.79 acres of federal land managed by the Forest Service and about 40.18 acres of land currently held by the tribe, while excluding certain existing roads and public rights-of-way. Additionally, the measure prohibits any gaming activities from being conducted on the land taken into trust.
Who is affected
The bill primarily affects the Pit River Tribe, for whom approximately 603.94 acres of land in California will be held in trust and added to their reservation. The Department of the Interior and the Forest Service are the federal agencies responsible for overseeing the transfer of these federal and fee lands. Additionally, the bill impacts entities currently holding easements for the approximately 20.03 acres of roads, highways, and public rights-of-way that are excluded from the trust transfer.
Key provisions
- Land transfer into trust for the Pit River Tribe. The bill directs the Department of the Interior to take approximately 603.94 acres of land in California into trust for the benefit of the Pit River Tribe.
- Designation of trust lands as reservation. The combined acreage, consisting of federal land managed by the Forest Service and fee land currently held by the tribe, will be designated as part of the tribe's reservation.
- Exclusion of existing rights-of-way. The transfer excludes approximately 20.03 acres of roads, highways, and public rights-of-way that are subject to existing easements.
- Prohibition on gaming activities. The legislation explicitly prohibits gaming on the specific lands taken into trust under this act.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 2400, Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025· As reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on September 15, 2025
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
The bill modifies the status of federal lands currently managed by the Forest Service and fee land held by the Pit River Tribe by transferring them into federal trust status to be part of the tribe's reservation. It also restricts the application of federal gaming laws by prohibiting such activities on the affected acreage.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to expand the Pit River Tribe's reservation by directing the Department of the Interior to take approximately 603.94 acres of federal and tribal fee land in California into trust for the tribe's benefit, while specifically prohibiting gaming activities on these lands.