Progress despite complexities
All the programs described involve fairly complex requirements, standards, and land status issues. Often, the various applications have conflicts with one another that must be resolved.
The Alaska Land Transfer Program has been a massive undertaking, unprecedented in scope and complexity. Issuance of land patents by the BLM is critical and exacting in nature and forms the very foundation of a future chain of title.
The following are a few of the additional legislative priorities BLM has received, an average of about one new Congressional directive a year for the past 12 years, which include but not limited
Recent Legislative Priorities
The BLM has received an average of about one new congressional directive a year for the past 12 years. These directives include:
- Land transfer to Bering Straits Native Corporation
- Land transfer to the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
- Land transfer to the State of Alaska within the Swan Lake Hydroelectric Project Boundary
- Land transfer to James Henry Jansen & Victor Carl Jansen
- Land transfer to Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation
- Continued technical assistance for S. 3269, Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition & Compensation Act
- Alaska Native Vietnam Veteran Era Veterans Land Allotment
ANCSA Entitlements Held Needing Legislative Fixes
Remedial legislation is needed to fulfill the following entitlements:
- Kaktovik
- Canyon Village
- Nagamut
- The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC), Successor in Interest to Sleetmute Limited, & Red Devil Incorporated
- Eyak
Additional Challenges
The following challenges directly impact the BLM Land Transfer Program rate of land conveyances:
- State Protest of Survey Plats
- Congressional Reports
- 2019 Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veteran Land Allotment Program
- Land Exchanges
- Workforce
- 17(b) Easements
- Title Recovery Native Allotments
There is no margin for error, and if it is not done correctly, it must be redone. Considering the scope of the task and the precision required, it is incredible that the program is as far along as it is.
| Native Allotment Land Transfer | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications Received | 321 applications received to date |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications Amended | 172 application amendments received to date |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications for Survey | 35 applications with draft surveys |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications for Survey | 50 applications in survey |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications Patented | 14 applications certificated |
| Act of 1906 Alaska Native Allotment | 10 in survey process |
| Act of 1906 Alaska Native Allotment | 251 in litigation or title recovery |
| ANCSA Land Transfer | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Cantwell Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Ahtna Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| Tazlina Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Ahtna Region) | Patent issued, 2023 completed |
| Belkofski Sec. 12(b) Entitlement (Aleut Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| 21 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Aleut Region) | Approval decisions issued, subsequent patent upon completion of appeal periods |
| Nuiqsut Secs. 12(a) Entitlement (Arctic Slope Region) | Patents issued, 2023 completed |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selection (Bering Straits Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| Manokotak Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Bristol Bay Region) | Board Resolution completed; 3rd Party Interest Letter issued, actively working on conveyance documents for review |
| Koliganek Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Bristol Bay Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selection (Bristol Bay Region) | Patent issued, selection application closed of record |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Selection (Calista Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| Chefornak Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Calista Region) | Awaiting survey plats of surface estate lands exchanged with FWS to patent non-exchanged subsurface estate to Calista Corporation |
| 71 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Calista Region) | 37 site selections patented with 18 site selections actively working on conveyance document for reviews. Approval decision issued for 16 site selections, subsequent patent upon completion of appeal period |
| Tatitlek Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Chugach Region) | Board Resolution completed; 3rd Party Interest Letter Issued |
| Eyak Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Chugach Region) | Survey plats near completion, avulsion in review, legislative fix needed for ANCSA limitation issue |
| 10 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Chugach Region) | Approval decision issued, subsequent patent upon completion of appeal period |
| Eklutna Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Cook Inlet Region) | Adjudication in progress |
| Chickaloon Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Cook Inlet Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| Fire Island and Talkeetna Deficiency Lands (Cook Inlet Region) | Adjudication in progress; Fire Island survey request submitted for field survey. |
| Beaver Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Doyon Region) | Confirmatory patent issued, actively working on project for entitlement closure |
| Circle Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Doyon Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| 19 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Doyon Region) | Draft conveyance documents completed, actively in review |
| Ouzinkie Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Koniag Region) | Draft corrected patent completed for review |
| Kotzebue Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (NANA Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews |
| 8 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (NANA Region) | Patent issued; 8 selection applications closed of record |
| Saxman Sec. 16(b) Entitlement (Sealaska Region) | Working with corporation to convey land within core township |
| 76 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Sealaska Region) | Surveying 52 site selections (acreage cap of 490 acres) |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Entitlement Closure (Sealaska Region) | Corrected FEM for IC 2461 and patenting 150,000+ acres of interim conveyed lands |
| State of Alaska Land Transfer | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Patents issued for Tentatively Approved (TA) Lands | 507,296 acres completed |
| Tentatively Approved Lands | 187 acres completed |
| Original Patented Lands | 805 acres completed |