H.R.2547

Chugach Alaska Natives SettlementImplementation
Act of 1999 (Introduced in the House)

HR 2547 IH

106th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2547

To provide for the conveyance of land interests to Chugach Alaska Corporation to fulfill the intent, purpose, and promise of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 16, 1999

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources.

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A BILL

To provide for the conveyance of land interests to Chugach Alaska Corporation to fulfill the intent, purpose, and promise of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the 'Chugach Alaska Natives Settlement Implementation Act of 1999'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:

(1) The term `ANCSA' means the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).

(2) The term `ANILCA' means the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, as amended (16 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.).

TITLE I--EASEMENT FOR ACCESS

SEC. 101. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--

(1) Chugach Alaska Corporation, formerly known as Chugach Natives, Inc., is the Alaska Native Regional Corporation organized under the authority of ANCSA for the Chugach people in the Chugach region;

(2) ANCSA promised the Chugach people a fair and just settlement of their aboriginal claims to lands and waters in Alaska;

(3) pursuant to section 1430 of ANILCA, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the State of Alaska, and Chugach Alaska Corporation were directed to study land ownership in and around the Chugach region for the purposes of--

(A) providing a fair and just land settlement for the Chugach people and realizing the intent, purpose, and promise of ANCSA by Chugach Alaska Corporation; and

(B) identifying lands that, to the maximum extent possible, are of the like, kind, and character of those traditionally used and occupied by the Chugach people, and, to the maximum extent possible, are coastal accessible and economically viable;

(4) on September 17, 1982, the aforementioned parties entered into the 1982 Chugach Natives, Inc. Settlement Agreement in order to set forth a fair and just land settlement for the Chugach people pursuant to the study directed by Congress, which among its many provisions--

(A) required the United States to convey to Chugach Alaska Corporation not more than 73,308 acres of land in the vicinity of Carbon Mountain, which tract of land contains significant natural resources, but is inaccessible by road;

(B) granted Chugach Alaska Corporation rights-of-way across Chugach National Forest to such tract of land, and required the United States to grant to Chugach Alaska Corporation an easement for the purpose of constructing, using, and maintaining roads and other facilities necessary for the use and development of that tract of land;

(C) required Chugach Alaska Corporation to apply to the Forest Supervisor for Chugach National Forest for conveyance of the easement, and to provide such information as may be prescribed by the Forest Supervisor; and

(D) reserved in the United States the right to prepare environmental documents in connection with the easement grant, consistent with the provisions of section 910 of ANILCA, if deemed desirable by the responsible Federal agency;

(5) on September 11, 1996, the Forest Supervisor deemed preparation of environmental documents for the easement desirable;

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