---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 3115a"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "3115a"
heading: "Tribal forest assets protection"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/3115a"
units:
  - "Chapter 33 — National Indian Forest Resources Management"
---

# §3115a. Tribal forest assets protection

- (a) **Definitions—** In this Act:
  - (1) **Federal land—** The term “Federal land” means—
    - (A) land of the National [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) System (as defined in [section 1609(a) of title 16](/usc/16/1609.md?p=a)) administered by the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) Service; and
    - (B) public lands (as defined in [section 1702 of title 43](/usc/43/1702.md)), the surface of which is administered by the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
  - (2) **Indian forest land or rangeland—** The term “[Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland” means land that—
    - (A) is held in trust by, or with a restriction against alienation by, the United States for an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) or a member of an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2); and
    - (B)
      - (i)
        - (I) is [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) (as defined in [section 3103 of this title](/usc/25/3103.md)); or
        - (II) has a cover of grasses, brush, or any similar vegetation; or
      - (ii) formerly had a [forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) cover or vegetative cover that is capable of restoration.
  - (3) **Indian tribe—** The term “[Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2)” has the meaning given the term in [section 5304 of this title](/usc/25/5304.md).
  - (4) **Secretary—** The term “[Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13)” means—
    - (A) the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) of Agriculture, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) Service; and
    - (B) the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) of the Interior, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.
- (b) **Authority to protect Indian forest land or rangeland—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 120 days after the date on which an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) submits to the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) a request to enter into an agreement or contract to carry out a project to protect [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland (including a project to restore Federal land that borders on or is adjacent to [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland) that meets the criteria described in [subsection (c)](#c), the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) may issue public notice of initiation of any necessary environmental review or of the potential of entering into an agreement or contract with the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) pursuant to [section 347](/usc/25/347.md) of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 ([16 U.S.C. 2104](/usc/16/2104.md) note; Public Law 105–277) (as amended by [section 323](/usc/25/323.md) of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2003 (117 Stat. 275)), or such other authority as appropriate, under which the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) would carry out activities described in [paragraph (3)](#b-3).
  - (2) **Environmental analysis—** Following completion of any necessary environmental analysis, the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) may enter into an agreement or contract with the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) as described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
  - (3) **Activities—** Under an agreement or contract entered into under [paragraph (2)](#b-2), the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) may carry out activities to achieve land management goals for Federal land that is—
    - (A) under the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13); and
    - (B) bordering or adjacent to the [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland under the jurisdiction of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2).
- (c) **Selection criteria—** The criteria referred to in [subsection (b)](#b), with respect to an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2), are whether—
  - (1) the [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland under the jurisdiction of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) borders on or is adjacent to land under the jurisdiction of the [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) Service or the Bureau of Land Management;
  - (2) [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) Service or Bureau of Land Management land bordering on or adjacent to the [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland under the jurisdiction of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2)—
    - (A) poses a fire, disease, or other threat to—
      - (i) the [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland under the jurisdiction of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2); or
      - (ii) a tribal community; or
    - (B) is in need of land restoration activities;
  - (3) the agreement or contracting activities applied for by the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) are not already covered by a stewardship contract or other instrument that would present a conflict on the subject land; and
  - (4) the [Forest](/usc/25/3103.md?p=2) Service or Bureau of Land Management land described in the application of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) presents or involves a feature or circumstance unique to that [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) (including treaty rights or biological, archaeological, historical, or cultural circumstances).
- (d) **Notice of denial—** If the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) denies a tribal request under [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1), the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) may issue a notice of denial to the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2), which—
  - (1) identifies the specific factors that caused, and explains the reasons that support, the denial;
  - (2) identifies potential courses of action for overcoming specific issues that led to the denial; and
  - (3) proposes a schedule of consultation with the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) for the purpose of developing a strategy for protecting the [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) and interests of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) in Federal land.
- (e) **Proposal evaluation and determination factors—** In entering into an agreement or contract in response to a request of an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) under [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1), the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) may—
  - (1) use a best-value basis; and
  - (2) give specific consideration to tribally-related factors in the proposal of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2), including—
    - (A) the status of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) as an [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2);
    - (B) the trust status of the [Indian forest land](/usc/25/3103.md?p=3) or rangeland of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2);
    - (C) the cultural, traditional, and historical affiliation of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) with the land subject to the proposal;
    - (D) the treaty rights or other reserved rights of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) relating to the land subject to the proposal;
    - (E) the indigenous knowledge and skills of members of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2);
    - (F) the features of the landscape of the land subject to the proposal, including watersheds and vegetation types;
    - (G) the working relationships between the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) and Federal agencies in coordinating activities affecting the land subject to the proposal; and
    - (H) the access by members of the [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) to the land subject to the proposal.
- (f) **No effect on existing authority—** Nothing in this Act—
  - (1) prohibits, restricts, or otherwise adversely affects the participation of any [Indian tribe](/usc/25/5130.md?p=2) in stewardship agreements or contracting under the authority of [section 347](/usc/25/347.md) of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 ([16 U.S.C. 2104](/usc/16/2104.md) note; Public Law 105–277) (as amended by [section 323](/usc/25/323.md) of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2003 (117 Stat. 275)) or other authority invoked pursuant to this Act; or
  - (2) invalidates any agreement or contract under that authority.
- (g) **Report—** Not later than 4 years after July 22, 2004, the [Secretary](/usc/25/3103.md?p=13) shall submit to Congress a report that describes the [Indian](/usc/25/3103.md?p=9) tribal requests received and agreements or contracts that have been entered into under this Act.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–278, § 2, July 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 868; Pub. L. 115–325, title II, § 202(b)(1), Dec. 18, 2018, 132 Stat. 4459.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsecs. (a), (f), and (g), is Pub. L. 108–278, July 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 868, which enacted this section and provisions set out as notes under sections 3101 and 3115b of this title.

Section 347 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (f)(1), was section § 101(e) [title III, § 347] of Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, as amended, which was set out as a note under section 2104 of Title 16, Conservation, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8205(b), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 921. Provisions similar to § 101(e) [title III, § 347] of Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, as amended, were enacted by Pub. L. 108–148, title VI, § 604, as added Pub. L. 113–79, title VIII, § 8205(a), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 918 and are classified to section 6591c of Title 16, Conservation.

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004, and not as part of the National Indian Forest Resources Management Act which comprises this chapter.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–325 substituted “In this Act” for “In this section” in introductory provisions.