U.S. Code

Any restricted Indian lands, whether tribally, or individually owned, may be leased by the Indian owners, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, for public, religious, educational, recreational, residential, or business purposes, including the development or utilization of natural resources in connection with operations under such leases, for grazing purposes, and for those farming purposes which require the making of a substantial investment in the improvement of the land for the production of specialized crops as determined by said Secretary. All leases so granted shall be for a term of not to exceed twenty-five years, except leases of land located outside the boundaries of Indian reservations in the State of New Mexico, leases of land on the Agua Caliente (Palm Springs) Reservation, the Dania Reservation, the Pueblo of Santa Ana (with the exception of the lands known as the “Santa Ana Pueblo Spanish Grant”), the reservation of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Moapa Indian Reservation, the Swinomish Indian Reservation, the Southern Ute Reservation, the Fort Mojave Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Burns Paiute Reservation, the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation, the Kalispel Indian Reservation, the pueblo of Cochiti, the pueblo of Pojoaque, the pueblo of Tesuque, the pueblo of Zuni, the Hualapai Reservation, the Spokane Reservation, the San Carlos Apache Reservation, the Yavapai-Prescott Community Reservation, the Pyramid Lake Reservation, the Gila River Reservation, the Soboba Indian Reservation, the Viejas Indian Reservation, the Tulalip Indian Reservation, the Navajo Reservation, the Cabazon Indian Reservation, the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation and land held in trust for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation with respect to a lease between an entity established by the Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians and the Minnesota Historical Society, leases of the the ^[1] lands comprising the Moses Allotment Numbered 8 and the Moses Allotment Numbered 10, Chelan County, Washington, and lands held in trust for the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe of Indians, and lands held in trust for the Twenty-nine Palms Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, and lands held in trust for the Reno Sparks Indian Colony, lands held in trust for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, lands held in trust for the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians of the Guidiville Indian Rancheria, lands held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, lands held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and lands held in trust for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, land held in trust for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, lands held in trust for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, land held in trust for the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribes, lands held in trust for the Pueblo of Santa Clara, land held in trust for the Yurok Tribe, land held in trust for the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians of the Hopland Rancheria, lands held in trust for the Yurok Tribe, lands held in trust for the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians of the Hopland Rancheria, lands held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, lands held in trust for the Cahuilla Band of Indians of California, lands held in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, and the lands held in trust for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana, and leases to the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe, or any organization of such tribe, of land on the Devils Lake Sioux Reservation, which may be for a term of not to exceed ninety-nine years, and except leases of land held in trust for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians which may be for a term of not to exceed 50 years, and except leases of land for grazing purposes which may be for a term of not to exceed ten years. Leases for public, religious, educational, recreational, residential, or business purposes (except leases the initial term of which extends for more than seventy-four years) with the consent of both parties may include provisions authorizing their renewal for one additional term of not to exceed twenty-five years, and all leases and renewals shall be made under such terms and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior. Prior to approval of any lease or extension of an existing lease pursuant to this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall first satisfy himself that adequate consideration has been given to the relationship between the use of the leased lands and the use of neighboring lands; the height, quality, and safety of any structures or other facilities to be constructed on such lands; the availability of police and fire protection and other services; the availability of judicial forums for all criminal and civil causes arising on the leased lands; and the effect on the environment of the uses to which the leased lands will be subject.

Any lease by the Tulalip Tribes under subsection (a) of this section, except a lease for the exploitation of any natural resource, shall not require the approval of the Secretary of the Interior

Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a lease of land by the Hopi Tribe to Navajo Indians on the Hopi Partitioned Lands may be for a term of 75 years, and may be extended at the conclusion of the term of the lease.

For purposes of this section—

Any contract, including a lease or construction contract, affecting land within the Gila River Indian Community Reservation may contain a provision for the binding arbitration of disputes arising out of such contract. Such contracts shall be considered within the meaning of “commerce” as defined and subject to the provisions of section 1 of title 9. Any refusal to submit to arbitration pursuant to a binding agreement for arbitration or the exercise of any right conferred by title 9 to abide by the outcome of arbitration pursuant to the provisions of chapter 1 of title 9, sections 1 through 14, shall be deemed to be a civil action arising under the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States within the meaning of section 1331 of title 28.