The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with BNSF Railway, putting an end to a lawsuit over the railway’s trespass over tribal land.

The terms of the agreement are confidential.

In June 2024 a Seattle judge ordered BNSF Railway to pay the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community nearly $400 million in profits from trespassing on the reservation. BNSF appealed.

The agreements reached with BNSF will “create new opportunities for future Tribal investment in housing, health care and education for our Tribal members, and in natural resources stewardship,” Swinomish Chair Steve Edwards said in a statement.

The tribe and BNSF participated in confidential mediation overseen by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and on Tuesday filed an update informing the cou

See Full Page