Progress despite complexities
All the programs described involve fairly complex requirements, standards, and land status issues. Often, the various applications have conflicts with one another that must be resolved.
The Alaska Land Transfer Program has been a massive undertaking, unprecedented in scope and complexity. Issuance of land patents by the BLM is critical and exacting in nature and forms the very foundation of a future chain of title.
The following are a few of the additional legislative priorities BLM has received, an average of about one new Congressional directive a year for the past 12 years, which include but are not limited to:
Recent Legislative Priorities
The BLM has received an average of about one new congressional directive a year for the past 12 years. These directives include:
- Land transfer to Bering Straits Native Corporation
- Land transfer to the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
- Land transfer to the State of Alaska within the Swan Lake Hydroelectric Project Boundary
- Land transfer to James Henry Jansen & Victor Carl Jansen
- Land transfer to Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation
- Continued technical assistance for S. 3269, Unrecognized Southeast Alaska Native Communities Recognition & Compensation Act
- Alaska Native Vietnam-Era Veterans Land Allotment
ANCSA Entitlements Held Needing Legislative Fixes
Remedial legislation is needed to fulfill the following entitlements:
- Kaktovik
- Canyon Village
- Nagamut
- The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC), Successor in Interest to Sleetmute Limited, & Red Devil Incorporated
- Eyak
Additional Challenges
The following challenges directly impact the BLM Land Transfer Program rate of land conveyances:
- State Protest of Survey Plats
- Congressional Reports
- 2019 Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veteran Land Allotment Program
- Land Exchanges
- Workforce
- 17(b) Easements
- Title Recovery Native Allotments
There is no margin for error, and if it is not done correctly, it must be redone. Considering the scope of the task and the precision required, it is incredible that the program is as far along as it is.
Fiscal Year 2025 Alaska Land Transfer Progress
| Native Allotment Land Transfer | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications Received | 428 applications received to date |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications in Adjudication Process | 362 applications in process |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications for Survey | 93 applications with draft surveys |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications for Survey | 60 applications in survey |
| Act of 2019 Native Veteran Land Allotment Applications Patented | 38 applications certificated |
| Act of 1906 Alaska Native Allotment | 10 in survey process |
| Act of 1906 Alaska Native Allotment | 251 in litigation or title recovery |
Fiscal Year 2025 Alaska Land Transfer Progress
| ANCSA Land Transfer | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Chistochina Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Ahtna Region) | Surveying final boundary; actively working on project in fulfilling Sec. 12(a) entitlement. |
| Tazlina Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Ahtna Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews. |
| Belkofski Sec. 12(b) Entitlement (Aleut Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews for village closure. |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Aleut Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews. |
| Sec. 12(a)(1) Regional Selection (Aleut Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews. |
| St. Paul Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Aleut Region) | Auditing for possible survey needs in fulfilling entitlements. |
| St. George Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Aleut Region) | Auditing for possible survey needs in fulfilling entitlements. |
| Sand Point Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Aleut Region) | Auditing for possible survey needs in fulfilling entitlements. |
| Nome Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Bering Straits Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews for village closure. |
| Inalik Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Bering Straits Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews for village closure. |
| Manokotak Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Bristol Bay Region) | COMPLETED: Final patents issued on October 15, 2024 (village closure). |
| Koliganek Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Bristol Bay Region) | Decision issued November 21, 2024, approving lands prioritized in fulfilling remaining ANCSA entitlements. Patents to be issued after appeal period, pending no appeals. (village closure) |
| Kongiganek Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Calista Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews. |
| Kasigluk Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Calista Region) | Adjudication in progress for conveyance document reviews. |
| Sec. 12(a)(1) In-Lieu (Calista Region) | Auditing interim conveyed lands for possible survey needs to issue confirmatory patents. |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Selection (Calista Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews. |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selection (Calista Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews. 3rd Party Interest/Easement Nomination Letter issued October 4, 2024. |
| 19 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Chugach Region) | Decision issued November 21, 2024. Patents to be issued after appeal period, pending no appeals. Closure of 19 site selections. |
| 6 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Cook Inlet Region) | Adjudication in progress for conveyance document reviews. |
| Eklutna Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Cook Inlet Region) | Adjudication in progress; reviewing conveyance documents. |
| Chickaloon Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Cook Inlet Region) | Approval decision to be issued November 27, 2024. |
| Ninilchik Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Cook Inlet Region) | Adjudication in progress for conveyance document reviews. |
|
Fire Island Lands (Cook Inlet Region) |
Decision issued November 21, 2024, approving lands prioritized at outer VORTAC site. Interim conveyance to be issued after appeal period, pending no appeals. |
| CIRI West Side Deficiency Lands (Cook Inlet) | Actively working on a Patent Easement and Final Easement Memorandums for conveyance/patenting of approximately 250,000 acres. Adjudication in progress for conveyance document reviews. |
| CIRI Talkeetna Mountains - Deficiency Lands (Cook Inlet) | Adjudication in progress for conveyance document reviews. |
| Beaver Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Doyon Region) | Decision issued November 21, 2024, approving lands prioritized in fulfilling remaining ANCSA entitlement. Final patents to be issued after appeal period, pending no appeals. (village closure) |
| Stevens Village Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Doyon Region) | Preparing survey request in fulfilling Sec. 12(a) entitlement (Sec. 12(b) fulfilled). |
| Tanana Village Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Doyon Region) | Survey in process in fulfilling Sec. 12(a) entitlement (Sec. 12(b) fulfilled); actively adjudicating. |
| 6 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Doyon Region) | COMPLETED: Patents issued September 24, 2024. |
| Ouzinkie Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Koniag Region) | Actively working on project for conveyance document reviews for village closure. |
| Kotzebue Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (NANA Region) | Decision issued November 21, 2024, approving lands prioritized in fulfilling remaining ANCSA entitlements. Interim conveyance and patent to be issued after appeal period, pending no appeals. |
| Kotzebue Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (NANA Region) | Survey in process in finalizing Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) entitlements. Final confirmatory patents to be issued upon filing of survey plats. Projected timeline of mid-late 2025. |
| Secs. 12(c) and 14(h)(8) Entitlements (NANA Region) | Adjudication in process for conveyance document reviews. |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selection (Sealaska Region) | Adjudication in process for conveyance document reviews. |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Entitlement Closure (Sealaska Region) | First of 4 patents issued on October 12, 2023; 3 draft conveyance documents completed, actively in review. |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Entitlement Closure (Sealaska Region) | Easement decision and draft confirmatory patent for IC 2416 issued September 6, 2024. Decision appealed. |
Fiscal Year 2024 COMPLETED ANCSA Land Transfer Projects
| ANCSA Land Transfer | FY 2024 |
|---|---|
| Cantwell Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Ahtna Region) | COMPLETED: Patents issued August 22, 2024. |
| Chistochina Sec. 12(a) Entitlement (Ahtna Region) | COMPLETED: Patents issued August 2, 2024. |
| Sec. 12(a)(1) Regional Selection (Aleut Region) | COMPLETED: Confirmatory patent issued September 24, 2024. |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selection (Bering Straits Region) | COMPLETED: Patent issued July 16, 2024, |
| Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selection (Bristol Bay Region) | COMPLETED: BBNC'S Sec. 14(h)(1) entitlement closed of record. |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Selection (Calista Region) | COMPLETED: Conveyance issued February 21, 2024. |
| Oscarville Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Calista Region) | COMPLETED: Final patents issued September 3, 2024 (Village Closure). |
| Calista Sec. 14(f) Entitlement @ Napaskiak (Calista Region) | COMPLETED: Subsurface Patent issued July 25, 2024. |
| Tatitlek Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Chugach Region) | COMPLETED: Final patents issued April 11, 2024 (Village Closure). |
| 8 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Chugach Region) | COMPLETED: Patent for 8 selections issued Oct. 27, 2023. |
| Beaver Sec. 12(b) Entitlement (Doyon Region) | COMPLETED: Patents issued on June 11, 2024 in fulfilling the Sec. 12(b) entitlement. |
| Circle Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Entitlements (Doyon Region) | COMPLETED: Final patents issued on July 16, 2024 (Village closure). |
| 9 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (Doyon Region) | COMPLETED: Patent issued September 24, 2024. |
| Kotzebue Secs. 12(a) and 12(b) Confirmatory Patent Project (NANA Region) | COMPLETED: Issued Confirmatory Patent on July 22, 2024 for 61,382.50 acres. |
| 2 Sec. 14(h)(1) Regional Selections (NANA Region) | COMPLETED: Patent issued July 18, 2024. |
| Sec. 14(h)(8) Regional Entitlement (Sealaska Region) | COMPLETED: Patent issued on October 12, 2023 for 54,458.60 acres. |
Fiscal Year 2024 COMPLETED State of Alaska Land Transfer Projects
| State of Alaska Land Transfer | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Patents issued for Tentatively Approved (TA) Lands | 92,989 acres of TA lands patented to date |
| Tentatively Approved Lands | None to date |
| Original Patented Lands | 1,148 acres of original lands patented (per State's Request) |