Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act
The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act would authorize a specific land swap in San Bernardino County, California between the United States (via the Forest Service in the San Bernardino National Forest) and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (also known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians). The deal centers on exchanging roughly 1,475 acres of Federal land owned by the United States for about 1,460 acres of non-federal land owned by the Nation. The exchange would occur if the Nation offers to convey its Non-Federal Land to the United States, after which the Secretary of Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service) would promptly convey the Federal Land to the Nation, but with an easement preserved for Forest Service access on certain Forest Service roads. The act also requires surveys to precisely define the lands, allows minor boundary adjustments, and provides public access to maps and records. A condition of the conveyance is that the Nation must enter into an agreement to preserve an Arrowhead landmark site, and once the exchange is completed the acquired Federal land would become part of the San Bernardino National Forest. Additionally, the bill states the exchange is not subject to a particular provision of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) Section 206.
Key Points
- 1Land to be exchanged: approximately 1,475 acres of Federal land in the San Bernardino National Forest for about 1,460 acres of land owned by the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (Non-Federal Land), with land descriptions defined on specific maps.
- 2Trigger and timing: The exchange occurs if the Nation offers to convey its Non-Federal Land to the United States; the Secretary must accept within 120 days of receipt of that offer and convey the Federal Land to the Nation, reserving an easement for Forest Service road access.
- 3Surveys and descriptions: The exact acreages and legal descriptions will be determined by surveys acceptable to both the Secretary and the Nation; the Nation bears the cost of surveying the Non-Federal Land.
- 4Boundary adjustments and maps: Minor boundary adjustments and corrections to maps, acreages, or descriptions can be made by mutual agreement; the Federal and Non-Federal land maps are publicly available for inspection.
- 5Arrowhead Landmark preservation: As a condition of the conveyance, the Nation must enter into an agreement to preserve the Arrowhead landmark site (Arrowhead Landmark GA), with the agreement recorded in county and Forest Service records.
- 6Land management: The land acquired by the Secretary becomes part of the San Bernardino National Forest and will be managed under existing federal laws and regulations for that forest.
- 7FLPMA exemption: The exchange is not subject to section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, i.e., certain procedural requirements of FLPMA do not apply to this transaction.