A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain land in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Nevada, to the Secretary of the Interior, in trust for the Washoe Indian Tribe of Nevada and California.
Summary
This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer approximately 24 acres of federal land within the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to the Secretary of the Interior to be held in trust for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. The transfer is intended to return ancestral lands to the Tribe for traditional and customary uses, such as cultural ceremonies and stewardship conservation.
For the public, the bill ensures continued access to surrounding National Forest lands by reserving a permanent easement for administrative and public use. To protect the local environment, the legislation prohibits the Tribe from using the land for commercial purposes, gaming, or permanent residential development, and requires that all tribal activities meet environmental standards at least as strict as those set by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.