Bureau of Land Management Releases Draft Environmental Assessment for Alaska Native Vietnam-era Vets Land Selection
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ANCHORAGE – Today, the Bureau of Land Management released a draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact that analyzes the effects of making approximately 28 million acres of land available for selection by eligible Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans.
The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 established the Alaska Native Vietnam-Era Veterans Land Allotment program that enables eligible veterans the opportunity to select an allotment of up to 160 acres from available federal lands in Alaska. Currently, there are approximately 1.2 million acres of available federal lands open to allotment selection. In this assessment the BLM analyzed opening to selection an additional approximately 28 million acres of lands, currently withdrawn pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, within the Kobuk-Seward Peninsula, Ring of Fire, Bay, Bering Sea-Western Interior, and East Alaska planning areas.
The environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact are available for a 15-day public review after which time the BLM could make a recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior to open to allotment selection certain lands withdrawn under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Maps and other planning documents associated with the project are available on the BLM’s National NEPA Register at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2014748/510 and can be reviewed at the BLM Alaska Public Information Center. Please phone ahead to make an appointment.
BLM Alaska Public Information Center
James M. Fitzgerald Federal Building
222 West 7th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99513
(907) 271-5960
For additional information on the environmental assessment development, contact project lead Racheal Jones at rajones@blm.gov. For questions on the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veteran Allotment Program of 2019 visit https://www.blm.gov/alaska/2019AKNativeVetsLand or contact Paul Krabacher at pkrabach@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.