Santini-Burton Modernization Act of 2026

This legislation amends Public Law 96-586, known as the Santini-Burton Act, to modernize the authority of the Forest Service regarding land acquisition and administration within the Lake Tahoe Basin. It incorporates new findings acknowledging the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California's historical connection to the Basin and the challenges posed by their limited land ownership for cultural access. The bill expands the Act's purpose to include land management alongside acquisition. A key provision allows funds appropriated for land acquisition to also be used by the Secretary of Agriculture for land management activities on acquired land and National Forest System land within the Lake Tahoe Basin. These activities encompass maintaining forest health, water quality, preserving cultural sites, and preventing recreational environmental impacts. The bill also permits the transfer of these funds to State or local governments or the Washoe Tribe for similar land management activities on transferred land. The legislation authorizes the Forest Service to enter into partnerships with various entities, including the Washoe Tribe, to implement these land management activities and develop projects for public access, including to culturally significant land. An annual spending plan must be developed by the Forest Supervisor, in consultation with stakeholders like the Washoe Tribe, based on criteria such as environmental threshold achievement. Additionally, the bill allows for the transfer of acquisition funds directly to the Washoe Tribe for acquiring and managing land of cultural significance to the Tribe in the Lake Tahoe Basin, ensuring these funds supplement existing resources and can serve as non-Federal matching funds.