Senate Passes Bipartisan Lands Package; Now Heads to HouseLands Package Includes Version of Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act
February 13, 2019
“The Senate’s overwhelming approval of this bipartisan lands package is a significant victory for Alaska and states across the country, particularly out west. From increasing access to federal lands for sportsmen, to creating new economic opportunities for local communities, and protecting Americans from natural hazards, our bill addresses a wide range of priorities important to many Americans,” Murkowski said. “I’m proud of the work we have done and hope this package can move quickly through the House and be signed into law.” Murkowski also spoke to the Alaska-specific provisions within the lands package. “This bill provides routing flexibility for our proposed natural gas pipeline. It creates new economic opportunities for communities like Kake and Utqia?vik. And it includes a provision that Sen. Sullivan and I have worked long on that will finally uphold our commitment to the Alaska Natives who served during the Vietnam War, but never received the land allotments promised to them by the federal government,” Murkowski said. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) praised the passage of S. 47, the National Resources Management Act, which included a version of Senator Sullivan’s Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity Act. This provision would allow several thousand Alaska Natives who served during the Vietnam-era to apply for their congressionally-promised Native allotment after they missed their initial opportunity to do so because of their service. “For decades, a special group of Alaska veterans have suffered an injustice due to their service during the Vietnam War,” said Senator Sullivan. “My colleagues and I [Tuesday] took a significant step toward righting this wrong and ensuring Alaska Native vets have an opportunity to finally receive the land allotment they’ve previously been denied. “The passage of this provision is the result of a broad team keeping the fire burning together, including Senator Murkowski, former Interior Secretary Zinke, and a number of Alaska Native vets who personally advocated for this legislative fix. I also want to thank Congressman Young for his commitment to getting this important land package and the modified allotment provision across the goal line in the House," said Sullivan. The Alaska Native Veterans Land Allotment Equity provision resolves a number of issues that impaired the success of the Alaska Native Veterans Act of 1998. Importantly, it establishes a separate program to allow Alaska Native veterans who served during the Vietnam War era to apply for and receive an allotment of land in Alaska. The provision also provides a mechanism to identify lands that are available for selection and ensures that individuals will be able to use the land, including for subsistence. These changes will remedy inequities that Alaska Native Vietnam veterans have faced as a result of their service and unworkable federal laws that Congress previously passed to facilitate the allotments. Sandra Purohit, Government Relations Legislative Counsel, of Defenders of Wildlife in a prepared statement said, “We applaud the authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other important conservation advances, however, the legislation passed in the Senate [Tuesday] also places at risk huge swaths of America’s public lands and resources in Alaska.” Purohit wrote, “We are deeply troubled by the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Act included in the package. The current language is improved from earlier versions but, unfortunately, continues to pose a substantial conservation threat. In the near term, the provision puts hundreds of thousands of acres of America’s public lands at risk of privatization and development, including lands set aside specifically for conservation, recreation and scientific study. It also invites similar threats to national wildlife refuge lands in the future. We will continue to work to resolve this issue as this package moves to the House.” Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-W.VA) said, “I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass a public lands bill with broad bipartisan support. We have finally permanently reauthorized LWCF so our land management agencies can operate fully and without the fear of losing access to the funding they rely on. West Virginia has a rich cultural history and at the core of that is our deep appreciation for the natural wonders we are blessed with. Our little state is as wild as it is wonderful and we take great pride in our access to the great outdoors. This package is a win for West Virginia and a win for every community across the country." “The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been a pre-eminent program for access to public lands,” said ENR Committee member Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA). “It gives local communities the tools and resources to manage public lands, to give more access to the American people, to do the things that will help us grow jobs and preserve against a very challenging and threatening climate.” The bill includes the following provisions of interest to Alaskans:
Background Information S. 47 is a bipartisan package of more than 100 public lands, natural resources, and water bills. Murkowski and former ENR Ranking Member Cantwell introduced the bill in January 2019. The package was negotiated with the chairman and ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources last year, and the vast majority of bills within it have undergone extensive public review in the House, the Senate, or both. S. 47 contains provisions sponsored by 50 Senators and cosponsored by nearly 90 Senators in the 115th Congress. Those include measures to:
Reporting and Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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