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Rep. Young's Bill To Resolve Alaska Native-CVEA Land Disputes Approved By Natural Resources Committee

Washington, D.C., March 7, 2007
 , D.C. – Alaska Congressman Don Young’s legislation to resolve an ongoing conflict involving certain Alaska Native allotments and the Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) was approved today by the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources.

            Young’s legislation (H.R. 865) was approved by a voice vote.  Young is the Ranking Member on the Committee. 

“H.R. 865 resolves an ongoing conflict concerning my constituents in eastern Alaska and the Bureau of Indian Affairs,” Young said.  “Because of an unusual set of historical and legal circumstances, rights-of-way for electrical transmission lines used by the Copper Valley Electric Association are considered to be in trespass by the Bureau of Indian Affairs across 14 Native allotments.

            “Copper Valley is a rural electric cooperative and can ill afford to fight this battle.  Nor should it have to, because it’s not at fault.  And certainly, the Natives aren’t at fault either.  The simple truth is, both sides are in a bind and the Interior Department has not been willing to fix the problem administratively.  

            “H.R. 865 adopts a recommendation by the GAO for the federal government to pay for the rights-of-way.  The compensation is expected to be less that $500,000 because the lands at issue are in an isolated area of Alaska.

            “This bill treats both sides equitably and I urge this Committee to support it,” Young said. 

Background Information

The CVEA is a rural nonprofit electric cooperative formed in 1954.  It serves about 3,550 customers in a 240-mile area in the Copper River Basin and Valdez areas spanning the Glenn and Richardson highways.

          A General Accountability Office (GAO) study was conducted on the issue, after which Young’s legislation was developed.  A similar bill was the subject of a Resources Committee hearing in 2006, but time expired in the 109th Congress before it could be considered further.

           Young’s bill legislatively affirms the rights-of-way and provides a compensation process utilizing the permanent judgment fund to compensate for any property right affected by the legislation.  H.R. 865 enables CVEA to serve its customers, promotes future infrastructure development in Alaska, and protects the value of Native allotments.

The legislation Young introduced is identical to S. 205, sponsored by Senators Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

For more information, access the Committee on Natural Resources’ Minority website at:

http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.shtml

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