Governor Moves to Exert Control Over Alaska Lands and Waters
April 05, 2021
After 62 years of federal delay and obstruction, the State of Alaska is asserting its management rights over the vast network of navigable waters and submerged lands it received at statehood and will move aggressively to promote their use and enjoyment to serve the interests of the Alaska people. “For too long, we have waited for federal land managers to fulfil their duty and acknowledge that the Alaska people, and not their bureaucracies, are the true owners of Alaska’s navigable waters and submerged lands,” said Governor Dunleavy. “Despite clear legal evidence and common sense, the federal government has failed to loosen its chokehold on these areas. With today’s action, we are asserting our rights and unlocking Alaska.” Additionally, Governor Dunleavy directed Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Corri Feige to send letters to the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture telling them to cease management oversight of such lands within federal conservation units and refer all users to state authorities. “We at DNR have worked with our federal counterparts for many years to secure quiet title to Alaska’s submerged lands beneath navigable waters,” said Commissioner Corri Feige. Feige said, “Unfortunately, our good faith efforts have been met with delay, denial, and resistance that have cost the state time and money, and further deprived many Alaskans of the opportunity to enjoy their statehood birthright. The administration’s initiative reflects the truth that these resources are Alaska’s, to be enjoyed by Alaska without federal interference.” The Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service manage more than 200 million acres in Alaska. In the past, they have managed hundreds of thousands of acres of submerged lands within the boundaries of federal conservation system units (CSUs) as if they are part of these units, creating access and management conflicts for Alaskans trying to use these waters and navigate across the state. To date, the federal government has acknowledged Alaska’s clear title to only 16 percent of state-owned lakes, and to submerged lands under only 9 percent of state-owned rivers. By retaining management of the rest, federal authorities block Alaskans from legitimate recreational and commercial use of these resources generally allowed under state law. Federal agents have exceeded their authority by wrongfully ticketing or fining Alaskans lawfully using state waters or using gravel bars or other state submerged lands in accordance with state law. “In a frontier state like ours, control of the rivers and streams that serve as our commercial highways is essential to prosperity,” said Governor Dunleavy. “Alaskans have been suffering under the federal yoke of neglect and administrative gridlock for decades. While federal agencies delay resolution, they continue to restrict use. These illegal federal restrictions on the use of state lands and waters must end.” The governor’s action comes on the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sturgeon v. Frost, in which it ruled unanimously that John Sturgeon had the right to cross navigable waters to access state hunting grounds, even if the waters passed through the Yukon-Charley National Preserve. The ruling made clear that Alaskans have the right to use navigable waters in other ANILCA-created conservation system units (CSUs) as well. Quoting a news release, the governor’s action is grounded on three important legal principles:
The governor has directed DNR to expand its online mapping resources to display navigable rivers and lakes in Alaska, accelerate its efforts to resolve a backlog of federal navigability determinations, and assert legal claims for full rights to access and use state lands and waters. The governor has also made it clear he will use the full force of the State including its resources to protect Alaskans from illegal actions by overzealous federal agents and representatives. “Alaska’s destiny lies in full ownership of and access to our natural resources,” continued Governor Dunleavy. “These actions are a first step in “Unlocking Alaska” – an initiative that I will continue to advance in the coming months. My administration will not rest until Alaska has achieved the foundational promises of statehood, and every Alaskan is granted unfettered access to our lands and waters.
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Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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