§ 1776d. Establishment and administration of Crow Tribal Trust Fund

(a) Establishment

(1) In general

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the “Crow Tribal Trust Fund”.

(2) Availability of amounts in the Crow Tribal Trust Fund

Amounts in the Crow Tribal Trust Fund shall be available, without fiscal year limitation, to the Secretary for distribution to the Crow Tribe in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.

(b) Contributions

(1) In general

Subject to paragraph (2) and the requirements of section 1776h of this title—

(A) on or before November 30, 1994, the Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit into the Crow Tribal Trust Fund an amount equal to the amounts of royalties received and retained by the United States during fiscal year 1994 from the East Decker, West Decker, and Spring Creek coal mines; and

(B) commencing with fiscal year 1995 and for such period thereafter as may be necessary, the Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury shall make necessary and proper arrangements for the monthly payment, transfer, or deposit (or any combination thereof) into the Crow Tribal Trust Fund of the royalties received and retained by the United States for the immediately preceding month from the East Decker, West Decker, and Spring Creek coal mines in the State of Montana for the life of such mines, including any extensions of the existing leases for such mines and any expansions of such mines to nearby and adjacent federally owned coal deposits, as specified in the Settlement Agreement.

(2) Amount of royalties

The total amount of royalties described in paragraph (1) that are paid, transferred, or deposited into the Crow Tribal Trust Fund shall not exceed, in the aggregate, $85,000,000, excluding—

(A) any interest earned on moneys in the Crow Tribal Trust Fund; and

(B) the funds transferred to the Suspension Accounts pursuant to section 1776h of this title.

(3) Payments of royalties received and retained by the United States

Subject to paragraph (2) and the requirements of section 1776h of this title, the royalties received and retained by the United States from the East Decker, West Decker, and Spring Creek coal mines shall be paid, transferred or deposited into the Crow Tribal Trust Fund not later than 30 days after the date on which the royalties are due and paid.

(4) Additional payments

The Federal Government shall make payments, in addition to the payments referred to in paragraph (3), from the royalties received and retained by the United States from other coal mines within the State of Montana into the Crow Tribal Trust Fund in an amount equal to any lost interest income (as determined by the Secretary), if any portion of the sums described in paragraph (3) are not paid, transferred or deposited into the Crow Tribal Trust Fund within the 30-day period prescribed in paragraph (3).

At the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury shall invest all sums deposited into, accruing to, and remaining in, the Crow Tribal Trust Fund in accordance with section 161a of this title.

(d) Distribution of interest

(1) In general

Only the interest received on funds in the Crow Tribal Trust Fund shall be available for distribution by the Secretary to the Crow Tribe for use for education, land acquisition, economic development, youth and elderly programs or other tribal purposes in accordance with plans and budgets developed and approved by the Crow Tribe and approved by the Secretary.

(2) Requirements for distribution of interest

Commencing with fiscal year 1996 and for each fiscal year thereafter, without fiscal year limitation, the interest received on monies in the Crow Tribal Trust Fund shall be available for distribution under this subsection only if—

(A) the United States and the Crow Tribe enter into the Settlement Agreement; and

(B) the requirements of section 1776g of this title relating to the approval and execution of the Settlement Agreement are satisfied.

(3) Prohibition

No portion of the Crow Tribal Trust Fund or the interest earned on the Crow Tribal Trust Fund may be distributed to members of the Crow Tribe on a per capita basis.

(e) Use of interest for economic development

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Crow Tribe may, subject to approval by the Secretary, assign the right of the Crow Tribe to the interest earned on monies in the Crow Tribal Trust Fund to a third party in connection with loans made for economic development projects on or near the Crow Indian Reservation.

(f) Limitation

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no portion of the principal of the Crow Tribal Trust Fund shall be available for withdrawal or disbursement or used for any purpose other than the purposes specified in this section and section 1776h of this title.

U.S. Code

§ 1776d. Establishment and administration of Crow Tribal Trust Fund