When I first heard about this bill, I thought it had to be BS. It was introduced by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and would give away some pretty big chunks of land on the Tongass National Forest of Southeast Alaska.
This is pretty typical for the stuff that seems to be sent into Congressional committees hoping it will not get noticed. Kind of like the Nancy Pelosi, "We won't know until we pass it" comment, except in this case they know and they hope you don't know.
From what I gather, here are some of the concerns of locals who don't meet the criteria for benefits granted under the bill. Maybe there are offsets that help balance the equation, but I don't see them. For my family that lives in Haines, and some of their spouses who would be considered to meet the lineage criteria to qualify as a shareholder of the newly formed Haines Native Corporation, it might be a great deal.
Sounds like a good deal if you meet one of the criteria above. If you are one of the Alaskan using the Tongass and do not qualify, or if you are one of the 320 million Americans who are owners of the Tongass National Forest, probably not so good.
Link to the bill here - http://www.energy.senate.gov/public...?File_id=1609C720-9C1C-4DC4-87E6-F1ED485152FB
I hunt the Tongass every year, so this peaks my interest. For those who dream of some day going there, I hope you do. It is one of the most remarkable places on the planet.
Any Alaska guys have input on this proposal from Murkowski? Is there some history supporting this or balancing of the benefits to all that are not apparent on the surface?
This is pretty typical for the stuff that seems to be sent into Congressional committees hoping it will not get noticed. Kind of like the Nancy Pelosi, "We won't know until we pass it" comment, except in this case they know and they hope you don't know.
From what I gather, here are some of the concerns of locals who don't meet the criteria for benefits granted under the bill. Maybe there are offsets that help balance the equation, but I don't see them. For my family that lives in Haines, and some of their spouses who would be considered to meet the lineage criteria to qualify as a shareholder of the newly formed Haines Native Corporation, it might be a great deal.
• Grant a total of 115,000 acres of federal public lands near Haines, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Wrangell, and Tenakee Springs to five new native corporations. Sealaska (an existing Native Corporation) would get the subsurface rights. Affected communities will not know where these lands will be selected from until after the legislation passes. Lands eligible for selection include areas protected as Land Use Designation II (LUD II) under the Tongass Timber Reform Act.
• Grant Alaskan veterans who served between 1964 and 1975 (or their heirs if they are now deceased) the right to select 160-acre allotments in the Tongass. (Why not add benefits for Montana, or Idaho, or Florida, or Delware, or "insert state here" veterans? Or benefits for veterans who served after 1975?)
• Buy back 23,000 acres of land in Cube Cove on Admiralty Island National Monument from Shee Atika, the Sitka-based native corporation that rapidly clearcut the area after it is was granted to the Native Corporation under the original 1971 version of ANCSA. The logged land would once again become public and would be incorporated into Admiralty Island National Monument. The funds granted to Shee Atika would be used to purchase other federal property. Sealaska (the native Corporation) would also trade subsurface rights to the Cube Cove area in exchange for another 14,000 acres of Tongass timberland on Prince of Wales Island.
• Grant Alaskan veterans who served between 1964 and 1975 (or their heirs if they are now deceased) the right to select 160-acre allotments in the Tongass. (Why not add benefits for Montana, or Idaho, or Florida, or Delware, or "insert state here" veterans? Or benefits for veterans who served after 1975?)
• Buy back 23,000 acres of land in Cube Cove on Admiralty Island National Monument from Shee Atika, the Sitka-based native corporation that rapidly clearcut the area after it is was granted to the Native Corporation under the original 1971 version of ANCSA. The logged land would once again become public and would be incorporated into Admiralty Island National Monument. The funds granted to Shee Atika would be used to purchase other federal property. Sealaska (the native Corporation) would also trade subsurface rights to the Cube Cove area in exchange for another 14,000 acres of Tongass timberland on Prince of Wales Island.
Sounds like a good deal if you meet one of the criteria above. If you are one of the Alaskan using the Tongass and do not qualify, or if you are one of the 320 million Americans who are owners of the Tongass National Forest, probably not so good.
Link to the bill here - http://www.energy.senate.gov/public...?File_id=1609C720-9C1C-4DC4-87E6-F1ED485152FB
I hunt the Tongass every year, so this peaks my interest. For those who dream of some day going there, I hope you do. It is one of the most remarkable places on the planet.
Any Alaska guys have input on this proposal from Murkowski? Is there some history supporting this or balancing of the benefits to all that are not apparent on the surface?
