# Plain Language Summary: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Land Transfer Bill

This bill transfers approximately 1,083 acres of federal land in Washington State to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. The land, which is currently part of Olympic National Park, would become tribal property held in trust by the federal government. This means the tribe would gain control over the land and be able to use it for their own purposes, while the federal government maintains legal ownership on their behalf. The transferred land would officially become part of the tribe's reservation.

The practical effect is that the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe gains significant control over this territory along the Elwha River. They could use it for housing, economic development, cultural activities, or conservation efforts. However, there are some important limitations built into the bill. The land along the Elwha River portion must be managed according to wild and scenic river protections, meaning the tribe can't develop it freely—it has to be preserved in a natural state. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits the tribe from using this land for casino or gambling operations, even though tribes typically have the right to operate gaming facilities on their lands.

The bill also requires the Department of Interior to conduct a formal survey to precisely map out the boundaries of the transferred land and allows for minor adjustments if needed. This is a relatively straightforward land transfer designed to return federal property to tribal control, giving the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe more autonomy over their ancestral territory while maintaining certain environmental protections.

To take certain Federal land in the State of Washington into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and for other purposes.

Kilmer, Derek

 <p>This bill takes approximately 1,082.63 acres of specified lands in the state of Washington into trust for the benefit of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Lands taken into trust shall be part of the Lower Elwha Reservation.</p> <p>Further, the bill prohibits gaming on the land taken into trust.</p>