"Update on AHTNA Lands issue" Cantwell

Took this from the FST web site "Update on AHTNA Lands issue"


http://www.fairnet.org/Agencies/FST...160&sid=3ce7378134bbd0f3d755755638b8587f#6160




From the BLM


Quote:

Greetings!

This bulletin is intended to provide you with an update on the process of reserving access under Section 17(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) for upcoming conveyances in the Ahtna, Inc. Alaska Native corporation region. You are most likely receiving this message because you attended an open house, contacted the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), or are associated with an organization that has expressed an interest in 17(b) issues in the Ahtna region.

On June 9, 2008, Ahtna provided BLM with a description of the lands the corporation most wants to receive as part of its regional entitlement under the provisions of ANCSA. This information, combined with previously identified priorities for each of the eight villages in the Ahtna region, provides a realistic picture of what lands are to be conveyed into private ownership of the Ahtna region or villages. To view maps that show expected Ahtna land ownership patterns, please visit
BLM website:

http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/lands_realty/17b_easements/17b_Easements_on_Ahtna_Lands.html

The website also contains links to the Notice of Proposed Easements for Ahtna regional lands and other information regarding easements. If you do not have access to a computer, please visit BLM Public Information Centers in Glennallen, Anchorage or Fairbanks, or call the Glennallen Field Office at 822-3217 to request information in other formats.

Response to BLM open house events regarding Ahtna region easements earlier this year was robust. Additional opportunities to obtain easement information will take place in September. Please join us at
one of the following open house events:

|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Community | Location | Time | Date |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Cantwell | Cantwell School | 4 to 6pm | September 9 |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Fairbanks | BLM Northern | 4 to 7pm | September 11 |
| | District Office | | |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Eagle River | Municipality of | 4 to 6pm | September 15 |
| | Anchorage Meeting| | |
| | Room Above | | |
| | Garcia’s | | |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Valdez | Prince William | 4 to 6pm | September 17 |
| | Sound Community | | |
| | College | | |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Delta Junction | Community Hall | 4 to 6pm | September 19 |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|
| Glennallen | BLM Glennallen | 4 to 6pm | September 22 |
| | Field Office | | |
|------------------+------------------+------------------+------------------|


Input on access for lands to be conveyed to Ahtna region or village corporations will continue to be accepted through October 31, 2008. Final easement recommendations are expected to be determined by the end of the year, which will enable BLM to proceed with the conveyance process in 2009.

Your continued interest and participation is appreciated and encouraged.

Sent by Steve Grimes for KJ Mushovic




Of course I did ask why Cantwell and Fairbanks are scheduled right in the middle of moose season. Uh, probable done on purpose to lower the participants.

What I emailed back to BLM


Quote:
Morning Steve,

Thanks for the update and for helping in the scheduling of additional Open House events.

But I have to ask, were the meeting scheduled for the early part of Sept (9th and 11th) purposely done during that time to limit the number of people who might attend ??

Moose season is (on average) Sept 1 through the 15th. A lot of the easement concerns are on access to hunting areas. Would be nice if BLM would re-schedule the daates for the Cantwell and Fairbanks meetings.

Thanks
John

open houses

INTERIOR TRAILS QUARTERLY
Dedicated to the preservation and maintenance of trails in interior Alaska
September 2008



BLM STILL ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON AHNTA TRAIL EASEMENTS
The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is still accepting comments and holding open houses on trail easements over land being selected by the Ahtna Native Corporation.
Many acres of land that surround a plethora of popular trails in the Cantwell area and other Interior and Southcentral regions have been selected by Ahtna Native Corporation as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANSCA), originally passed in 1971. Areas affected include lands around the villages of Cantwell, Chistochina, Chitina, Copper Center, Tazlina, Gakona, Gulkana, and Mentasta.
BLM is accepting comments through October 31, 2008. Final easement recommendations should be determined by the end of the year, which will enable BLM to proceed with the conveyance process in 2009.
Open houses are being held in several communities in September. For a schedule of open houses and more about the issue go to the BLM Alaska home web page (www.blm.gov/ak/st/en.html) and click on “17b Easements in the Ahtna region.”
As part of the process of conveyance BLM has created many trail easements to protect those trails. However, some of the land being selected has been used by the public without necessarily being part of a trail. Also, some people have raised concerns about whether the accuracy of the easements on paper is enough to protect trails on the ground.
The issue of parking where the trails meet the roads and highways has also not been addressed sufficiently. Currently Ahtna sells permits for non-shareholders to use its land. Costs run from $10 for day use for an individual up to $100 per season for camping per group/vehicle. However, the border of Ahtna land and public lands are often not marked, so many people might not realize they need a permit. (For more on Ahtna permits see:http://ahtna.lands.googlepages.com/permits ).
You can also express your concerns to your legislator (http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/index.php ) and to Gov. Sarah Palin (http://gov.state.ak.us/govmail.php).