[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BENNETT:
  S. 1766. A bill to amend the Utah School and Lands Improvement Act of 
1993 to provide for lands for the Goshute Indian Reservation, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


     the goshute indian reservation boundary adjustment act of 1996

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I am introducing a bill to amend the 1993 
Utah School and Lands Improvement Act, Public Law 103-93. The purpose 
of this legislation is to correct boundary problems on the Goshute 
Indian Reservation in Utah.
  The Goshute Tribe is a federally recognized tribe whose reservation 
is located on the western border of Utah. Approximately one-half of the 
Goshute Reservation is in Utah, the other half is in Nevada. This 
legislation would transfer about 8,000 acres of state land to the Tribe 
along with about 400 acres of public land administered by the BLM.
  The public law to be amended by this bill was enacted without 
opposition in 1993. This law transferred approximately 200,000 acres of 
Utah state lands to the federal government with the understanding that 
the federal government would compensate the state in an amount equal to 
the appraised value of the transferred land. When the law was passed, 
it was done so with the understanding that state lands located within 
the reservation boundaries of both the Navajo and Goshute Tribes would 
be transferred to the United States to be held in trust for the 
respective tribes.
  At that time, the Goshute tribe requested that the Utah delegation 
address a boundary issue on the reservation. After some initial 
negotiation, the Tribe agreed to withdraw their request to address the 
boundary issue, contingent upon a commitment that we would resolve the 
issue at a later date. Mr. President, I want to follow through on that 
commitment now.
  The ``southern boundary issue'' refers to a block of land which 
consists of 8,000 acres in a very irregular shape. Because of the 
remoteness and the configuration of the tract of land, it is almost 
impossible to properly manage and as a result, there have been several 
instances of poaching and trespassing. This legislation seeks to create 
a much clearer and more definitive boundary. The lands would be held in 
trust by the Federal Government for the benefit of the Goshute Tribe, 
which with the help of the BIA will be able to regulate grazing and 
other uses in the area. The Tribe has agreed to be responsible for the 
cost of appraisal of the additional lands in the bill. This is quite a 
commitment, given the limited resources of the Tribe. I appreciate 
their willingness to assume such a commitment.
  The legislation is supported by the State of Utah, Juab County, and 
the Board of Trustees of the School and Institutional Trust Lands 
Administration. From what I understand, the Department of Interior does 
not oppose the bill. Perhaps most surprisingly, the Utah Wilderness 
Coalition does not oppose it either. The Goshute Tribe has met at 
length with representatives from this very vocal group and have 
obtained their support.
  Mr. President, I hope my colleagues will support me in this effort to 
assist the Goshute Tribe in creating a more manageable border to their 
reservation.
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