U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have proposed a bill aimed at transferring 860 acres of land from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to the Pechanga Band of Indians in trust. Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA-48) is sponsoring a related bill in the House of Representatives.

The Pechanga Band of Indians has a rich history in the Temecula Valley spanning over 10,000 years. Historical records indicate the tribe was exiled from their homeland, Teméeku, in 1875. In time, they reconstructed their community nearby, culminating in the establishment of the federally recognized Pechanga Indian Reservation in 1882.

The reservation currently spans approximately 7,000 acres.

Under the proposed legislation, adjacent BLM-managed land would be placed into federal trust for the Pechanga Tribe. Tribe representatives assert that this land transfer will facilitate the restoration of culturally significant areas and enable better environmental monitoring and natural resource management.

“The Pechanga Band of Indians has long worked to reclaim and unify their ancestral lands to ensure that nearby territories are stewarded according to the tribe’s cultural practices and management traditions,” Senator Padilla remarked.

“I’m honored to collaborate with the tribe and bipartisan colleagues on this initiative to transfer 860 acres of federal land to enhance restoration efforts, safeguard culturally significant locations, and bolster environmental monitoring and natural resource management on land that has been the Pechanga’s home for over 10,000 years.”

“After their displacement, the Pechanga Band of Indians has
tirelessly fought to reclaim land fundamental to protecting, preserving, and restoring their sacred sites,” Senator Schiff added. “I’m proud to stand alongside Senator Padilla and Representative Issa in this bipartisan endeavor to support the tribe.”

Pu’éska Mountain and Adjacent Areas

The legislative initiative focuses on land located near Wexéwxi Pu’éska, also referred to as Pu’éska Mountain, which carries cultural significance for the tribe.

Previously, the Pechanga Tribe opposed a proposed open-pit quarry project in this vicinity. The tribe contended that the project would result in air pollution across the Temecula Valley and have detrimental effects on the mountain.

In 2012, following that challenge, the tribe purchased Pu’éska Mountain. In 2015, the Bureau of Indian Affairs placed the property into trust.

The current legislation aims to permit the tribe to place 860 acres of adjacent BLM-managed land into trust near the mountain, ensuring that the area is preserved according to tribal land management practices.

“On behalf of the Pechanga Band of Indians, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Senator Padilla for advocating for the land transfer bill in the United States Senate,” stated Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro. “This legislation represents a critical advancement towards the restoration of our ancestral lands and the reunification of our sacred Pu’éska Mountain. For the Pechanga, it fulfills our long-standing aspiration to protect sacred and cultural resources, thereby strengthening our self-determination as a recognized tribal nation.”

Efforts in Land Consolidation

The Pechanga Tribe has actively pursued the acquisition of land parcels adjacent to the reservation that remain under federal or private ownership. These initiatives aim to consolidate lands linked to the tribe’s sacred sites.

According to the tribe, these land transfers will enhance environmental monitoring and natural resource management across the surrounding area.