Bill to Fulfill ANCSA Land Entitlement Introduced in Congress

Congressman Don Young has authored a bill that, if it were to become law, would allow Sealaska to finally gain control of valuable traditional lands as promised 36 years ago in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971.

Under ANCSA, Congress returned 44 million acres to Alaska’s Native people and further declared that this be “accomplished rapidly." However, more than 36 years later Sealaska is still due to gain ownership of some 85,000 acres.

In addition, ANCSA limits Sealaska to select its final acres from within 10 federally designated areas in Southeast Alaska. The proposed legislation would allow Sealaska to select its remaining lands outside of these areas, among parcels that include places of sacred, cultural, traditional, and historic significance for Alaska Natives.

Sealaska has worked for years with Native communities and numerous interest groups to shape an appropriate solution to the problems posed by the government’s unfulfilled promise to the Native people of Southeast Alaska. To view the presentation that Sealaska has prepared for shareholders at community meetings, please click here [PDF].

Sealaska has also been meeting with environmental groups, the Tongass Futures Roundtable and elected officials to solicit feedback on how the bill addresses the needs of the people of Southeast Alaska, and how it affects the regional economy and sacred and enterprise sites.

Sealaska wants to keep shareholders informed of the legislation and its progress. Please visit Sealaska's Haa Aaní page in our Campaigns section for more information.

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