[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 22936-22937] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]THE INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO RATIFY AN AGREEMENT AMONG THE UNITED STATES, THE STATE OF ALASKA AND THE BERING STRAITS NATIVE CORPORATION ______ HON. DON YOUNG of alaska in the house of representatives Friday, September 26, 2008 Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation today to assist the Bering Straits Native Corporation, an Alaska Native Regional Corporation established under the authority of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), in fulfilling its land entitlement under ANCSA. This Alaska Native Regional Corporation has requested the bipartisan assistance of Congress to achieve the enactment of this legislation on behalf of the Inupiat people in the region. I look forward to working with Chairman Rahall and others on the Natural Resources Committee to obtain passage of this meritorious legislation. An equitable agreement has been worked out by the State of Alaska, the Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC) and the United States that would finalize BSNC's entitlement under the ANCSA and help fulfill the State's entitlement to certain lands under the Statehood Act. As an Alaska Native Regional Corporation, BSNC received entitlement under ANCSA to 145,728 acres of land under Section l4(h)(8) of that landmark Act. This Agreement will fulfill a critical component of that entitlement by conveying to BSNC 1,009 acres of land in the Salmon Lake area while Bering Straits relinquishes 3,084 acres of land from its original Salmon Lake selections which would be conveyed to the State. In addition, in furtherance of fulfilling its land entitlement under the Settlement Act, 6,132 acres of land at Windy Cove and 7,504 acres of land at Imuruk Basin that were either not prioritized or not selected by the State or that were low priority for the State will be conveyed to BSNC. The tracts at Windy Cove and Imuruk Basin are long- standing BSNC 14(h)(8) selections and had been submitted to BLM by BSNC as prioritized lands. Salmon Lake is located about 38 miles north of Nome, Alaska. This agreement avoids further administrative appeals or litigation and is a sensible, fair and amicable resolution to some thorny land issues that have faced the parties for many years, caused in part by the competing land selections of the State of Alaska and BSNC. BSNC's interest in the lands is primarily for subsistence and recreation purposes. With the harsh climate of the Bering Straits Region through many months of the year, the Salmon Lake area provides a place for families to engage in subsistence and recreation activities. It receives substantial use by local residents and this agreement preserves that ability for them to continue such uses. Under the Agreement, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) retains ownership and administration of a 9-acre campground located at the outlet of Salmon Lake, and within those lands to be conveyed to BSNC under this agreement. This BLM campsite provides road accessible public camping opportunities. An additional easement is granted to the public through lands to be conveyed to BSNC to access Salmon Lake. The agreement also preserves access to BLM managed lands in the Kigluaik Mountain Range. The agreement completes the previously submitted priorities for land BSNC is entitled to receive under ANCSA. The lands included in the agreement are lands that were validly selected by BSNC pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. It does not provide BSNC with any additional land beyond the amount of its entitlement. It will greatly assist the BSNC in its mission of assisting members of the regional corporation to be able to engage in subsistence activities in an area where recreation opportunities are also available. For people who live in such challenging [[Page 22937]] weather and economic conditions, places such as Salmon Lake provide unique and important opportunities to participate in traditional subsistence and cultural activities that are crucial to a rural subsistence way of life. It is important to the people of the Bering Straits Region that this agreement be completed. There are many challenges that the people of the region face. Ratifying this agreement will certainly lessen some of those challenges in a positive and constructive way. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation that is so important for the Inupiat people of the Bering Straits Region. ____________________