ND Trust Lands Act reintroduced to streamline energy development

North Dakota Senators John Hoeven, Kevin Cramer, and Representative Julie Fedorchak have reintroduced the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act. The bill would enable equal-value land and mineral exchanges between the state and the U.S. Department of the Interior, aimed at reducing land fragmentation and promoting energy development. The measure seeks to give tribes greater control over reservation lands while providing resources to support state education. The bill has passed the Senate and is expected to move forward in the 119th Congress.