WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today secured final Senate passage of legislation supporting Southeast Alaska’s struggling timber industry and completing the federal land conveyance owed to the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribal shareholders of the Sealaska Native Regional Corp. 

“It has taken seven years, but I’m proud to say that we finally completed the land conveyance for Southeast Alaska’s nearly 20,000 Native shareholders, and at the same time ensured that the region’s remaining timber mills have timber,” Murkowski said. 

Murkowski’s Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act, which she originally introduced as S. 340, was included in the bipartisan package of lands bills approved Friday as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

The measure provides Sealaska, the Alaska Native regional corp. for Southeast Alaska, with 70,075 acres to finalize transfer of land owed to its Native shareholders under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).

“Some 43 years after passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the federal government will finally finish paying the debt we owe Natives for the settlement of their aboriginal land claims,” Murkowski said.

Under a compromise worked out by Murkowski, Sealaska will receive 68,400 acres for timber development, 1,099 acres for renewable energy resources and recreational tourism projects, and 490 acres of Native cemetery and historic sites.

Sealaska’s forested acreage is key to the survival of the local timber industry and the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to successfully transition toward young-growth and away from old-growth logging in the Tongass. Sealaska currently produces about 40 percent of the Tongass’ timber and without the infrastructure the corporation funds, the rest of the industry might not be able to survive.

The measure also places 152,067 acres of old-growth timber in new conservation areas to protect salmon and wildlife habitat.

“Passage of this agreement is absolutely vital because an integrated timber industry is crucial for the economics of a timber industry, and for other industries that Southeast depends upon,” Murkowski said. “This bill also will allow Sealaska to transition from timber to promoting renewable energy development and tourism – all positives for the region. This is a good early Christmas present for the economy of the entire Panhandle.”

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