110 HR 7172 IH: Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution U.S. House of Representatives 2008-09-26 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7172 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 26, 2008 Mr. Young of Alaska introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To resolve the claims of the Bering Straits Native Corporation and the State of Alaska to land adjacent to Salmon Lake in the State of Alaska and to provide for the conveyance to the Bering Straits Native Corporation of certain other public land in partial satisfaction of its land entitlement under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Salmon Lake Land Selection Resolution Act.

2.

Findings; purpose

(a)

Findings

Congress finds that— (1)Salmon Lake and the water upstream and downstream from Salmon Lake contain important fisheries resources of significance to Alaska Natives in the Bering Straits Region and other residents of the State of Alaska; (2)certain land adjacent to Salmon Lake on the Seward Peninsula within the Bering Straits Region contains archaeological and cultural resources of significance to Alaska Natives in the Bering Straits Region, other residents of the State, and the citizens of the United States; (3)land adjacent to Salmon Lake on the Seward Peninsula within the Bering Straits Region offers, and is suitable for, a variety of recreational activities; (4)the State of Alaska, acting under the Act of July 7, 1958 (commonly known as the Alaska Statehood Act) (Public Law 85–508; 72 Stat. 339), has selected land in the Salmon Lake area under section 6(b) of that Act (72 Stat. 340); (5)the Bering Straits Native Corporation, an Alaska Native Regional Corporation formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), has selected land in the Salmon Lake area under section 14(h)(8) of that Act (43 U.S.C. 1613(h)(8)); (6)the Bering Straits Native Corporation and the State of Alaska have conflicting selections to certain land in the Salmon Lake area; (7)the Secretary of the Interior (on behalf of the United States), the State, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation have concluded that it is in the interest of all three parties— (A)to protect and preserve the historical, cultural, and natural resources of the Salmon Lake area; (B)to equitably resolve the conflicting land selections made by the State under the Alaska Statehood Act and those made by the Bering Straits Native Corporation in the Salmon Lake area under section 14(h)(8) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1613(h)(8)) without further administrative appeals or litigation; and (C)to provide simultaneously for— (i)continued public ownership, management, use, and access to certain land in the Salmon Lake area; (ii)conveyance to the State of certain land in the Salmon Lake area in partial satisfaction of the entitlement of the State under section 6(a) of the Act of July 7, 1958 (Public Law 85–508; 72 Stat. 340); and (iii)conveyance to the Bering Straits Native Corporation of certain land in the Salmon Lake area and other areas of the Bering Straits Region in partial satisfaction of the land allocation of the Corporation under section 14(h)(8) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1613(h)(8)); and (8)legislation is required to ratify the Agreement among the Secretary of the Interior, the State, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation to resolve the conflicting land selections made by the State and the Bering Straits Native Corporation. (b)

Purpose

It is the purpose of this Act to ratify the Salmon Lake Area Land Ownership and Consolidation Agreement as entered into by the Department of the Interior, the State, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation.

3.

Ratification of agreement among the Bureau of Land Management, the State of Alaska, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation

(a)

Ratification of agreement

(1)

In general

The terms, conditions, covenants, and procedures set forth in the document entitled Salmon Lake Area Land Ownership and Consolidation Agreement, which was executed by the Department of the Interior, the State of Alaska, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation, effective July 18, 2007, and which is on file with the Department of the Interior, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, are hereby incorporated in this section and are ratified as to the duties and obligations of the United States, the State of Alaska, and the Bering Straits Native Corporation as a matter of Federal law. (2)

Conflict

Subject to valid existing rights, if any of the terms of the Agreement conflict with any other provision of law, the terms of the Agreement shall be controlling. (b)

Authorization of Actions

The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to take all actions permitted or required under the Agreement.