A U.S. House of Representatives committee Wednesday passed the Sealaska lands bill, marking the most progress the Juneau-based regional Native corporation has made since it began its effort 10 years ago.
The successful vote to move the bill out of the House Resources Committee thrilled Sealaska Corp. and disappointed environmental opponents, but may only be a prelude to bigger battles ahead.
“This is the furthest along this has gotten,” said Jaeleen Arajuo, Sealaska’s vice president and general counsel.
She described herself as “very excited” about Wednesday’s action following working for seven years to advance the lands legislation as a lawyer in Washington, D.C., and serving for the least three years as Sealaska’s top in-house counsel.
The bill passed through the markup process in the House Natural Resources Committee by a 34-10 vote.
Sealaska CEO Chris McNeil called the action “a huge milestone for our 20,000 tribal member shareholders” in a statement released by the corporation.
HR 1408 is titled “Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act” and was sponsored by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska.
Young, in a committee statement, and McNeil, in a press release, both said the bill would “finalize” the remaining land entitlement the corporation is due under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
What the bill would actually do, however, is to allow Sealaska to select different land than where it is currently allowed to select under ANSCA. The preferred lands may be more valuable to the company, especially when they contain timber that can be profitably logged or sited with economic development value.
That’s got environmental and other groups disappointed at the Resources Committee’s action, but saying they’ll continue to battle the bill, especially in the Senate.
“We’ve always felt that the Senate is going to be the key arena moving forward,” said Lindsey Ketchel, executive director of the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council.
She attributed the bill’s passage Wednesday in the committee to the recent Republican control of the House, as well as some lawmakers’ unfamiliarity with the legislation. Those representatives might have otherwise sided with the environmental community on the bill, she said.
“There were a number of new Democrats assigned to this committee, and with very short notice for the markup I don’t think everyone on the committee was given a full understanding of a very complex piece of legislation,” she said.
In the current Congress the Sealaska bill was first introduced in April, moved quickly through a subcommittee, and then was given only three days notice before Wednesday’s action, she said.
Araujo said the lands legislation has been extensively discussed over the years.
And Young said the bill has had several changes made to it in recognition of community concerns on Prince of Wales Island and elsewhere.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who joined with Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, to co-sponsor similar legislation in the Senate, said the bill would allow Sealaska to chose 79,000 acres of land, mostly on Prince of Wales and Koscuisko islands. That would be mostly for timber harvesting but would also include several thousand acres for economic development and for sacred, cultural, historic and educational sites.
In exchange, said McNeil, other environmentally sensitive areas would remain in federal control where they could be better protected. And the bill will not provide Sealaska with any additional acreage beyond that to which it is currently entitled, he said.
Araujo said she hoped the bill would move quickly in the House, possibly before the August recess, and that it might pass as stand-along legislation or be included in an omnibus lands bill with other bills also awaiting action.
SEACC’s Ketchel predicted that would happen.
“I would anticipate you are going to continue to see quick movement on the House side,” she said.
Ketchel said she expected the bill would receive more scrutiny in the Senate, despite the Senate’s being controlled by Democrats and Democrat Begich being a co-sponsor.
• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or at patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.
Comments (25)
Add commentFinalize is the correct word Mr. Forgey
Your writing implies that the bill will not finalize our final land entitlements from ANCSA but that's exactly what it will do. Why the bias?
Republicans are responsible for this!
Murkowski and Young are both republicans.
Republicans enjoying giving away large areas of the Tongass in exchange for re-election votes. Murkowski especially would not have won had Sealaska not supported her.
This is corruption at its finest. It allows Sealaska to choose lands OUTSIDE of the original ANCSA zones. Sealaska is cherry picking the best lands in the Tongass to the detriment of everyone living in southeast Alaska.
There's still hope that this can be defeated in the Senate.
When the prime time press
When the prime time press gets a hold of this story it will be all over. You can pull this kind of corrupt crap in alaska but not in places where people read and write.
Huh?
"Sealaska lands bill makes sudden move in Congress"
Sudden? This has been going on for SEVEN YEARS. And Natives were the first people here and the LAST to get their land selection, so enough with the "cherry picking" bs already.
Huh?
"Sealaska lands bill makes sudden move in Congress"
Sudden? This has been going on for SEVEN YEARS. And Natives were the first people here and the LAST to get their land selection, so enough with the "cherry picking" bs already.
"the LAST to get their land
"the LAST to get their land selection" Please let me know when I am scheduled to select my free land.
Sealaska
Wonder if this contains the $300,000 earmark to Rosita Worl to educate folk on ANCSA that was in the 2010 version?
kpawsuh
You HAVE your land. It's called the Tongass National Forest--almost the entire panhandle set aside for the PUBLIC, who were the FIRST to cherry pick Southeast Alaska.
No Victory - House Resources is Corrupt and One Sided
House Resources is corrupt and one sided. No biggie. Nothing unexpected. Except maybe a poor performance from a couple of excuse making green groups.
Anyone educated on this bill knows it's a piece of rot - you just need to articulate the facts to take it the rest of the way down.
House Resources... yawn
Finally, something good to read about
Jo Macnamara - this act allows Sealaska to choose land from within the boxes of traditional Tlingit and Haida lands that have been handed down for 10,000 years. You are correct in that it removes boxes set in place at a very different time in our history.
So, this is righting a wrong. I compare letting Sealaska select land outside the boxes in the same classification as ending segregated resturaunts, bathrooms, and the like. This is the 21'st century, no longer a time to keep people in boxes.
Let Congress pass this bill and move on to focusing on bigger debt reduction issues.
Great news indeed! yaa gei! that's good!
This is great news! It would be perfect if the US delegates came to Prince of Wales to hear from us who live here. Evident by the ongoing resolutions from almost all organizations on Prince of Wales, we're supporting this greatly needed economic boost to our island. Many of us have attended meetings to voice our support to these resolutions from Prince of Wales organizations/ representatives of the island population.
Our islands populations 4100, compared to over 5000 five short years ago due to timber jobs leaving us. Our rain country grows our trees back four times faster due to the silvaculture practices in place by ALL who are harvesting my home island: the mill, ANCSA corps, and soon I expect, AK mental health trust.
It's been difficult to observe 'outside' environmentalists starve our economy with their environmental positions. I kept hoping they would instead take a pro active carbon credit position. While that would take some work for them, they would address this with an economic solution, but they do not. Instead they simply state their position against our economic solution without presenting an economic solution. Clearly NOT a neighbor of mine, to starve my economy and the people here.
gunal cheesh delegates. Please don't be fooled by the voices against. Instead read the 4000 voices for OUR economies solution VIA the bills. Come and talk to us, the peoples of Prince of Wales. Once these bills pass, our 800-900 family and neighbors can move back home!! A good step in the right direction indeed!
**VIA the island resolutions in favor of the bills
** VIA the island resolutions in favor of the bills.
Dahli, how am I benefitting
Dahli, how am I benefitting from the Tongass being selected by a DC President? You will benefit from the land selections in that they become private property to do with as Sealaska chooses. They can log it and give you a dividend, put in a resort and give you a job or a dividend, they could decide to do a long term lease of one acre to every shareholder to live on free of charge. I get public access of the Tongass just like you and everyone else. I receive no special benefit. I didnt get anything given to me. Please give up the "poor me" victim stance as it is just pitiful. You have free health care, minority preference, a corporation that gives you dividends, options for many many entitlements. I have never been given anything and have had to work hard for everything that I have, and I don't begrudge that at all. I wouldn't have it any other way. But this incessant whining about how your ancestors got the short end of the stick is getting old. I think somewhere in everyone's ancestory, someone was cheated. My ancestors had everything taken from them, repeatedly. Instead of whining, they just got up and rebuilt and moved forward.
How is anyone expected to
How is anyone expected to deal with Sealaska in the future, especially the government and taxpayers???
kpawsuh, correction
Please read the bill, the public IS ALLOWED access to the land for recreation, and subsistence use. I do not know of any other private land owner that allows this. AND, this is nothing new to us on Prince of Wales Island, Sealaska already allows this on their current land. Additionally, this private land owner, Klawock Heenya, Shaan Seet, and Haida Corp have privided their land free of use for our hydro electric plant, and public roads. This is bill and what it represents is much clearer when it's read, and living on Prince of Wales Island. This bill IS the land on Prince of Wales island, re: my reference of how the private lands are accessible already. The only lands that have don't provide access are those that are leased.
Natives DO NOT GET FREE HEALTH CARE. Please read the constitution of the USA, Article 1, section 8. It explains the relationship, and fulfilling an obligation to the original land owners. This debt is paid at ALMOST 50 percent with the health care.
Jobs derived from this land transfer ARE NOT exclusive to Natives. Do not make false claims. These jobs are for all of us. Fact is, 800 of this islands people can move back when this bill passes, my people, my neighbors will have work, Native and others alike.
HOW ARE YOU BENEFITING? IF you live in southern southeast Alaska, your voice is restored at government level, your/our people get to move back home for work, our access for recreation and subsistence use is protected, and as tax payers we end the tax liability to the failed USFS TLUMP due to the legal battles with, AGAIN, the outside environmentalists. The last time I checked this tax payer bill, it was $28 million (April 2010). THAT IS OUR BENEFIT, YOURS AND MINE.
The only "poor me" in all this is southern southeast Alaska as a whole evident by our declining population, poor economy, smaller voice at government level....poor me is poor you too if you live here. If not, you won't 'get it'. Understand, WE ARE ALL REBUILDING.....our economy. If you don't like this, DON'T WHINE!!! instead present a solution to OUR ECONOMY. gunal cheesh.
hanklive
how are you dealing with our taxpayer bill for the failed USFS TLUMP now? Yes, we the tax payers are paying millions upon millions to move areas of the Tongass that are designated for harvesting for our economy, only to be stuck in court with the environmentalists to the tune of a very large bill to the tax payers.
What's the solution for this? Go to the USFS website and check it out for yourself.
kpawsuh Dahli, how am I benefitting
This land wasn't given to us, we fought for it. I'm sorry to hear that your culture did not do the same. You obviously have not read anything on Alaska History, otherwise you would be more informed. The native people of this land were not passive people, check the history books.
A waste of time...........and effort.
Don't waste time responding here. Forward the Hoonah Indian Association produced video "Hoonah's Legacy" to every Newspaper, television and legislator in the United States.
I have read Alaska history,
I have read Alaska history, and I know that the Tlingit were a proud and fierce people. That is what saddens me to see them reduced to playing victim and claiming that the only way is for uncle sam to return their lands. The truly sad part is when the people who are defending this bill realize that it isnt for them at all, but for the select few at Sealaska.
most all of us read AK, and lived AK history kpawsuh..
and no neighbor of mine is playing the victim. This bill is an answer to our poor economy. As i read the article, I felt, SEACC was playing the victim. But who cares, what all this is about is our southern southeast economy.
No 'victim at play here', shame on you for name calling your neighbors. But, thank you for getting part of it right, "proud and fierce people". Check out the history about the warriors. Most enjoyable, make you proud of your neighbors and their history, instead of trying to ridicule as you just did.
Read the constitution of payment to the original land owners. I support our government and its taking honorable steps, instead the history of broken treaties (the constitution). Already the 'treaty' is broken, with the government only paying ALMOST 50 percent of the bill.
Thank you elected officials for your help with this bill that stands to improve our economy, fulfill an agreement, provide continued public access for recreation and subsistence, and move lands already designated for harvesting into a cost savings avenue when compared to failed attempts at harvesting under the USFS due to the environmenists.
No one is victims, instead, we need jobs.
Don't waste time trying to reach 062284....
Contact Newspapers and Television stations everywhere. Post the Hoonah Indian Associations produced video "Hoonah's Legacy" send it to every politician in the country. Make them a part of any future clear cuts if they support the Sealaska bill.
Don't spend your time or efforts on the diversion of local arguments, while Sealaska spends Nationally.
Act now..........
Don't waste your time arguing this bill out on these stories that amount to a diversion. Contact legislators directly. Send the Video "Hoonah's Legacy" so they can see for themselves exactly the degree Sealaska practices stewardship of the Tongass.
Sorry.......
My comments are being posted hours and day's after I post them, The Empire is trying to correct the glitch. Sorry about the repetition.
Cut to the chase you liars
Let's quit beating around the touchy feely political correct horse pucky ok?
The bottom line is that Ancsa could have been finished up years ago when Sealaska's leadership(I use that word loosely) Picked their remaining lands and there were no objections from the people. THEN... Sealaska wanted to wait and see if they could instead get land that already has roads built at TAXPAYER expense, PLUS, they want to clearcut the remaining OLD GROWTH timber that is more valuable.
Sealaska rapes the land they log. No one can make them follow good stewardship laws to protect the fish and wildlife. Look up the video HOONAH LEGACY and prepare to be sick and infuriated by what you will see. They even burn old growth logs that could be sawn into top quality lumber so that no one else can get it.
This bill, pushed through illegally by the crooks Murkowski and Young is an abomination and reflects a clear picture showing that Sealaska is getting paid for providing the funds that got Murky back in office.
This bill will cause the destruction of a number of small communities on Kosciusko and Prince of Wales Islands. Imagine what would happen if a group of whites were to propose going into native communities and clearcutting that communities only source of timber and ruining the wild game in that area? This is reverse discrimination at it's finest folks.
Sealask owns Young and Murkoski, and Begich. Now it is payback time and Sealaska is calling on them.
The people that suffer are the native people that are not millionaire bosses in Sealaska, and the people that took the promise the state made when they proposed we buy land and move to these communities.
When the people of the lower 48 get wind of this, they WILL put a stop to this nonsense by making Sealaska take the land THEY ALREADY CHOSE YEARS AGO!
Oh, by the way, if you actually believe that Sealaska will allow anyone in to access these lands after they are RAPED, think again. Sealaska has a hidden clause that says they can lock it all up if their land, timber or anything else is in danger.
Tell your friends to watch HOONAH LEGACY and see for themselves what Sealaska is planning for Kosciusko Island
Then write your senators and help us stop the lies that Young, Murkowski and the Sealaska corp are trying to pass off as fact. Our communities depend on the truth to save us.
OMNIBUS? What would prompt them to try that?
Want simple and easy proof that Murkowski and Young are OWNED by Sealaska?
Ask yourself (or them) WHY they felt the need to attach it to other legislation.
BECAUSE, they have spent YEARS trying to get the land our communities depend on for fish, game, and timber and they keep getting shot down!
So they have to sneak it in under the radar.....
Crooks!