[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1448 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1448

To provide for the construction of the Yupik Alaskan/Central Kuskokwim 
                Energy Project, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 23 (legislative day, July 21), 2003

 Ms. Murkowski introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for the construction of the Yupik Alaskan/Central Kuskokwim 
                Energy Project, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Calista Energy and Economic 
Revitalization Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the Yupik Eskimo people have--
                    (A) inhabited the Upper Kuskokwim region for 
                thousands of years; and
                    (B) developed a unique lifestyle that allows the 
                people to thrive in a harsh and formidable climate;
            (2) on December 18, 1971, Congress enacted the Alaska 
        Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) in 
        recognition and settlement of the aboriginal claims of the 
        Yupik Eskimo people in the Upper Kuskokwim regions;
            (3) under that Act--
                    (A) the Calista Regional Corporation was formed by 
                the Yupik Eskimo people to represent the needs and 
                interests of the Yupik Eskimo people in implementing 
                the Act; and
                    (B) the Corporation has selected as part of the 
                land entitlement the Donlin Creek area of the Upper 
                Kuskokwim region;
            (4) as owner of the Donlin Creek area, Calista Regional 
        Corporation has made a discovery of international significance 
        of gold and other minerals that would aid the Yupik Eskimo 
        people if developed;
            (5) there is widespread support among the local Yupik 
        population for development of the Donlin Creek area;
            (6) the Donlin Creek area is currently isolated and 
        unconnected by road or utility services to the rest of the 
        State of Alaska;
            (7) the Upper Kuskokwim region contains many Yupik Eskimo 
        villages that are not connected to the rest of the State of 
        Alaska;
            (8) the unemployment rate in the region is almost 25 
        percent, and there is currently little or no opportunity for 
        year-round nongovernmental employment;
            (9) it is fair and equitable that Congress enact 
        legislation to aid and assist the Yupik Eskimo people, through 
        the Calista Regional Corporation, in providing reasonable and 
        adequate utility services to the area; and
            (10) Congress should act to provide a sound economic 
        opportunity for the Yupik Eskimo and other residents of the 
        region to enjoy an improved quality of life by providing a year 
        round employment base.

SEC. 3. CALISTA ENERGY PROJECT AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) Financial Assistance.--The Secretary of Energy shall, subject 
to any terms and conditions that the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate, provide the Calista Regional Corporation grants and loan 
guarantees to assist in the construction of the Calista Energy Project 
as generally identified in the document entitled ``Calista Region 
Energy Needs Study'' and dated July 1, 2002.
    (b) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of construction 
of the Calista Energy Project shall be not more than 80 percent.
    (c) Limitation.--The total amount of financial assistance that the 
Secretary may provide under subsection (a) is--
            (1) $100,000,000 for grants; and
            (2) $50,000,000 for loan guarantees.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.
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