Tatitlek entitlement complete

Dave Mushovic, BLM Alaska Lands and Cadastral deputy state director, signed the final land patents (deeds) April 11 for The Tatitlek Corporation at Tatitlek’s corporate office in Anchorage, Alaska, in fulfilling its land entitlements under Sections 12(a) and 12(b) the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

“We feel really good that we’re meeting our obligations,” said Mushovic. “Signing the final patent was an honor, but it is also the culmination of a lot of hard work for The Tatitlek Corporation.”  

Tatitlek is located in northeastern Prince William Sound, 30 miles south of Valdez and 40 miles north of Cordova. In 1964, Bligh Reef offered some shelter to Tatitlek from tsunamis generated by the 9.2 magnitude Alaska earthquake. That reef would also play a pivotal role in Tatitlek’s future just 25 years later with the destruction wrought by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. 

Due to the complexity of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill settlements, the legal and technical process in determining the final ANCSA entitlements for Alaska Native villages in Prince William Sound is extremely challenging.

“This process began more than 50 years ago with the passage of ANCSA and selection of lands by Alaska Native corporations like Tatitlek,” said Roy Totemoff, CEO of The Tatitlek Corporation, “and I am humbled to be here to see it to the final conveyance for the people of Tatitlek. I want to thank the BLM for their diligence in completing the conveyance and acknowledge the stakeholders like the State of Alaska, the US Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife, and others who assisted in this process.”

Tatitlek’s entitlements under Sections 12(a) and 12(b) totals 137,245.79 acres.  The Tatitlek Corporation for the Native village of Tatitlek is the first village in the Chugach Region to receive its full land entitlements under ANCSA.  Even through these more challenging land transfer projects, BLM is dedicated and committed to complete its obligation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.