The House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing on Tuesday on a bill that authorizes a land swap for the Ute Tribe of Utah.

H.R.4027 allows the tribe to protect 20,000 acres of culturally important sites on the reservation. The tribe already owns the surface rights but the mineral rights are owned by the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, a state agency.

The bill transfers the mineral rights to the federal government. In exchange, the state will receive mineral rights in another area where oil and gas development is already underway.

The tribe will partner with the state to develop the resources.

Get the Story:
Bill to exchange tribal land earns plaudits (The Salt Lake Tribune 3/21)

Committee Notice:
Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Legislative Hearing on H.R. 4027 and H.R. 4194 (March 20, 2012)