HR 41119th CongressIn Committee

Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act

Introduced: Jan 3, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Begich, Nicholas [R-AK-At Large] (R-Alaska)

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition and Compensation Act would address the omission of five Southeast Alaska Native communities—Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell—from eligibility under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). The bill would authorize Native residents of these villages to organize as Urban Corporations under ANCSA, enroll eligible individuals, and receive settlement land and settlement stock. It also modifies ANCSA provisions related to land conveyance, distributions, and governance to accommodate these new Urban Corporations, and it creates a Settlement Trust to support health, education, welfare, and cultural preservation for the communities. In short, the bill aims to (1) recognize five previously ineligible communities, (2) grant them land and stock under a new Urban Corporation framework, (3) preserve and adjust revenue distributions, and (4) set up a trust to fund community health and cultural goals. The land allocations would involve substantial surface land conveyances (about 23,040 acres per village) with subsurface interests directed to the Southeast Alaska Regional Corporation, along with various protections for public access, subsistence uses, and road/facility use with tribal-state-federal coordination.

Key Points

1Creation and recognition of five Urban Corporations
2- The bill adds five Urban Corporations for the Native residents of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell under ANCSA, enabling these communities to form eligible corporate entities and receive settlement land.
3- It clarifies that existing entitlements of any preexisting Village or Regional Corporations are not affected by these new Urban Corporations.
4Enrollment and shares
5- Eligible Native individuals who enrolled in the Native Villages of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, or Wrangell would be enrolled in the corresponding Urban Corporation.
6- Each enrolled Native who was or would have been a shareholder of the Southeast Alaska Regional Corporation would receive 100 shares of Settlement Common Stock in the respective Urban Corporation.
7- Provisions address shares inherited from decedents who were eligible to enroll, ensuring a matching number of shares in the appropriate Urban Corporation.
8- The section preserves existing land entitlements to the extent applicable and directs no change to other land allocations under ANCSA.
9Land conveyance and land rights
10- The bill would convey surface estates of specified parcels totaling about 23,040 acres to each Urban Corporation (Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, Wrangell), with the subsurface estate conveyed to the Regional Corporation for Southeast Alaska.
11- Land conveyances are subject to existing rights and a variety of legal and procedural conditions, including maps and the potential to adjust parcel boundaries to ensure the total conveyed acreage stays within a narrow range around 23,040 acres.
12- The land would be withdrawn from different public land categories until conveyed, and the conveyances would be treated as final satisfaction of the communities’ entitlement under ANCSA, subject to acreage adjustments.
13- Public easements and rights-of-way would be reserved or managed with conditions; hunting, fishing, and recreational use would remain open to the public under specified conditions, with restrictions to protect safety, cultural resources, and environmental protections.
14- The bill envisions a mutual use agreement for Tongass National Forest roads and related facilities between the Urban Corporations, the Forest Service, and the State, with terms on usage, fees, and updates.
15Distribution rights and financial mechanics
16- The bill amends ANCSA distribution provisions to ensure Native villagers who become Urban Corporation shareholders remain eligible to receive distributions as at-large shareholders of the Regional Corporation for Southeast Alaska, preserving the broader distribution framework.
17- It includes an explicit provision that the amendments do not disrupt the revenue-sharing ratios or existing settlement agreements among the Regional and Village Corporations.
18Settlement Trust
19- Each Urban Corporation may establish a settlement trust under ANCSA section 39 to promote health, education, welfare, and cultural preservation for the respective community.
20- Trust proceeds are to be prioritized to support elders and minor enrollees first, with remaining funds used to support all other enrollees.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Alaska Native individuals in the five Southeast Alaska communities (Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, Wrangell) and their descendants who would enroll in the new Urban Corporations.- The Southeast Alaska Regional Corporation and the five new Urban Corporations themselves, including governance and land management responsibilities.Secondary group/area affected- U.S. Forest Service, Tongass National Forest lands adjacent to the conveyed parcels, and the State of Alaska, which would participate in mutual use agreements and coordinate with Urban Corporations on road use, easements, and land management.- Other ANCSA entities (Regional and Village Corporations) whose existing entitlements and settlement structures could interact with the new arrangements.Additional impacts- Land ownership changes and governance: Creation of new Urban Corporations with substantial land holdings could affect land management, resource development, and local governance within these communities.- Access and use: Public access to lands for subsistence, hunting, fishing, and recreation is preserved under certain conditions, but the framework introduces new management arrangements and potential restrictions via easements and use agreements.- Economic and cultural outcomes: The Settlement Trust provisions aim to improve health, education, and cultural preservation, with a funding structure prioritizing elders and minors, potentially benefiting community stability and vitality.- Fiscal considerations: The land transfers, stock allocations, and escrow provisions will have financial and accounting implications for the Urban Corporations and the broader ANCSA settlement landscape, including compliance with escrow rules and distribution mechanics.

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