Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act

# Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act Summary **What the bill does:** This bill transfers approximately 72 acres of federally-owned forest land in Washington State from the U.S. Forest Service to the Department of the Interior, which would then hold the land in trust for the Quinault Indian Nation. Once transferred, the land becomes part of the tribe's reservation.

The bill specifically prohibits gambling operations on the transferred land. **Who it affects:** The primary beneficiary is the Quinault Indian Nation, a federally recognized tribe in Washington. The bill also affects federal land management since it shifts control of the acreage from the Forest Service to the Interior Department. **Key provision:** The bill requires the Department of the Interior to disclose any hazardous substances or pollutants on the land before the transfer, but it does not require the federal government to clean up any contamination that may be present. The tribe would receive the land as-is in terms of environmental conditions. **Current status:** The bill passed the House and is awaiting Senate action.