What changed between these versions
A substantive revision, v2 refines the land exchange by separating mineral and surface interests within the Bull Mountains Tracts. It modifies the conveyance to the Hope Family Trust to exclude surface land and introduces a new Section 4 establishing a separate surface land exchange with Musselshell Resources LLC to unlock public access. The overall purpose of taking mineral interests into trust for the Crow Tribe remains, but the mechanisms for other land conveyances are significantly restructured.
Overview
A handful of substantive changes concentrated in the definitions and the core land conveyance sections. · v2 clarifies the distinction between mineral and surface interests, narrows the scope of land conveyed to the Hope Family Trust, and expands the bill's scope to include a new surface land exchange aimed at public access.
The most significant change is the redefinition of the 'Bull Mountains Tracts' from v1, splitting them into 'Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts' and 'Bull Mountains Surface Tracts' in v2. This redefinition directly impacts Section 3(a)(3), where the Hope Family Trust now receives only mineral interests, not surface land, from the United States. Additionally, v2 introduces a new Section 4, 'Unlocking Public Access,' which establishes a separate exchange of surface interests between the United States and Musselshell Resources LLC. The core provision for the Crow Tribe's mineral interests being taken into trust remains largely unchanged.
Major additions
This new definition specifies the 'Bull Mountains Surface Tracts,' which are the aggregate surface interests comprising approximately 940 acres in Musselshell County, Montana, owned by the United States, as depicted on a map dated March 19, 2025.
This addition formally separates the surface interests from the mineral interests previously grouped under 'Bull Mountains Tracts' in v1. This distinction is crucial for the new surface land exchange mechanism introduced in Section 4, ensuring that surface rights are handled distinctly from mineral rights.
This new definition introduces 'Musselshell Resources LLC,' identifying it as a limited liability company registered to do business in the State of Montana.
The introduction of this entity is significant as Musselshell Resources LLC becomes a direct party to a new land exchange transaction outlined in the newly added Section 4, playing a role in the conveyance of surface interests.
This new definition specifies the 'Musselshell Resources Tracts,' which are the aggregate surface interests comprising approximately 959 acres in Musselshell County, Montana, owned by Musselshell Resources LLC, as depicted on a map dated March 19, 2025.
This addition defines the specific surface interests that Musselshell Resources LLC will convey to the United States as part of the new land exchange, facilitating the 'Unlocking Public Access' objective.
This new section, titled 'Unlocking Public Access,' mandates a single transaction within 60 days of enactment. It requires Musselshell Resources LLC to convey its surface interests in the 'Musselshell Resources Tracts' to the United States. In return, the Secretary is directed to convey the United States' surface interests in the 'Bull Mountains Surface Tracts' to Musselshell Resources LLC, subject to valid existing rights.
This is a major addition that introduces an entirely new land exchange mechanism focused on surface rights, separate from the mineral interests. It aims to consolidate surface land ownership, potentially for public access, and involves a new private entity, Musselshell Resources LLC. This significantly expands the scope of land transactions covered by the bill beyond the original mineral interest focus.
Modifications
This modification provides greater specificity regarding the distinct types of land interests (mineral vs. surface) and their respective acreages and locations. It enables separate treatment of these interests in subsequent conveyances, particularly by allowing the surface interests to be part of a new exchange with Musselshell Resources LLC, rather than being conveyed with mineral interests to the Hope Family Trust.
Before
The term 'Bull Mountains Tracts' referred to approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface interests and approximately 940 acres of surface interests owned by the United States in Musselshell County, Montana, generally depicted on a map dated January 30, 2024.
After
v2 splits this definition into two: 'Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts' (Section 2(2)) for the subsurface interests and 'Bull Mountains Surface Tracts' (Section 2(3)) for the surface interests. Both new definitions refer to a map dated March 19, 2025.
This change means the Hope Family Trust will no longer receive the surface land associated with the Bull Mountains Tracts from the United States. This surface land is instead designated for a separate exchange with Musselshell Resources LLC under the new Section 4. The Hope Family Trust's direct benefit from this specific conveyance is reduced to only mineral rights.
Before
v1 stated that the Secretary shall convey to the Hope Family Trust all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the mineral interests and surface land in the Bull Mountains Tracts.
After
v2 states that the Secretary shall convey to the Hope Family Trust all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the mineral interests in the Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts.
The revenue sharing agreement between the Tribe and the Hope Family Trust will now only apply to revenues generated from the development of mineral interests conveyed to the Hope Family Trust, not from any surface interests. This clarifies the financial arrangements in line with the revised land conveyances.
Before
v1 required a revenue sharing agreement between the Tribe and the Hope Family Trust for revenue from development of the 'mineral and surface interests' described in subsection (a)(3).
After
v2 requires a revenue sharing agreement for revenue from development of the 'mineral interests' described in subsection (a)(3).
There is no operative impact on the content or effect of this provision; it remains unchanged in its substance, only its numerical designation within the bill has shifted.
Before
Section 4 addressed the eligibility for other Federal benefits, ensuring that benefits provided under the Act would not reduce or deny other Federal services to the Tribe or its members.
After
The identical provision is renumbered as Section 5 in v2.
Scope
Meaningful expansion or narrowing — Changes are concentrated in the definitional section (Section 2) and the core land conveyance sections (Section 3), with a significant new operative section (Section 4) added. — v2 represents a meaningful refinement and expansion of the land exchange policy. While the core objective of taking Crow Tribe mineral interests into trust remains, the bill's approach to other land interests (specifically surface rights in the Bull Mountains Tracts) has shifted to include a separate, new exchange for public access, indicating a broader land management objective. — The new definitions for 'Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts' and 'Bull Mountains Surface Tracts' directly interact with and modify the operative language in Section 3(a)(3) and Section 3(d). The new Section 4 introduces an entirely new set of transactions that were not present in v1, expanding the bill's overall scope.
Impact analysis
Hope Family Trust
Negative, as the scope of land interests conveyed to them is narrowed.
In v1, the Hope Family Trust was to receive both mineral interests and surface land in the Bull Mountains Tracts from the United States. In v2, the Trust will only receive the mineral interests in the Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts.
Musselshell Resources LLC
Positive, as they gain surface interests in the Bull Mountains Surface Tracts.
This entity was not mentioned in v1. In v2, Musselshell Resources LLC is introduced as a party to a new land exchange, conveying its surface interests in 'Musselshell Resources Tracts' to the United States in exchange for the United States' surface interests in the 'Bull Mountains Surface Tracts'.
The United States (and potentially the public)
Procedural and potentially positive, as it facilitates a new land exchange for public access.
In v1, the United States would have conveyed both mineral and surface interests in the Bull Mountains Tracts to the Hope Family Trust. In v2, the United States conveys only mineral interests to the Hope Family Trust and then engages in a separate exchange of surface interests with Musselshell Resources LLC, gaining surface interests in 'Musselshell Resources Tracts'.
Crow Tribe of Montana
Neutral, as the change aligns the revenue sharing agreement with the modified conveyance to the Hope Family Trust, without directly altering the Tribe's primary benefits.
The core provision for the Tribe's mineral interests in the Hope Family Tracts to be held in trust remains unchanged. However, the revenue sharing agreement with the Hope Family Trust (Section 3(d)) is now explicitly limited to 'mineral interests' from the Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts, removing 'surface interests' from the scope of that agreement.