The Sealaska lands bill is still active in the US Senate, but doesn’t appear to be moving anywhere soon.

Sealaska executive vice-president Rick Harris told the Sitka assembly on Tuesday (5-22-12) that the controversial legislation remains in the US Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests, where it’s been for exactly one year.

The senate version of the Sealaska bill is known as S.730. Representative Don Young’s version of the bill in the House, H. 1408, has already cleared its only committee, and may go to the floor either on its own, or as part of a larger bill.

Both bills would allow the regional Native corporation to complete its land selections under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, but Sealaska would like lands outside boundaries established in ANCSA. Many of its selections are prime timberlands on Prince of Wales, and many are smaller areas – some around Sitka.

Sealaska was having its annual Sitka shareholder meeting in Harrigan Centennial Hall on Tuesday at the same time Sitka’s assembly was meeting.

Harris stopped in to speak to the assembly during persons to be heard.

“I’d like to give you a couple of quick updates. As you know our land legislation is still floating around. It hasn’t gone away. The key issues are still very much the same: the conveyance of Native cultural sites back to Sealaska Corporation. The other item of some contention is what we call Native futures sites – we’ve actually changed the name to small parcels for technical issues that came up. That process is still ongoing, we don’t have a markup scheduled yet. It’s still in front of the Senate Energy Committee. And were diligently working to find a resolution to those issues.”

That’s Sealaska vice-president Rick Harris speaking to the Sitka assembly on Tuesday.

One of the most controversial Sealaska land selections is not a part of the current legislation. Sealaska selected the area surrounding Redoubt Falls in a separate process shortly after the corporation was formed.

Sealaska vice-president and general counsel Jaleen Araujo updated the assembly on the status of the Redoubt selection, which has been delayed by a “color of title” petition filed on behalf of the trustees of Sheldon Jackson College.

“Based on what we’ve seen so far we don’t think the claim has much merit. Just to be clear, there are some deeds that they have, but they’re deeds to structures on the property at Redoubt, and it’s clear that it’s not conveying any title to land. They’ll have 30 days to submit what they think is proof of color of title. On a related note, we did have a lot of discussions with the City of Sitka, and the Sitka Tribe in terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with regard to the use of Redoubt. Discussions also included the Forest Service, although they likely won’t be a party to the MOU. What we have seen, what we think is really positive, is that all the parties are in alignment in terms of how their views of how Redoubt should be used. Even if we gain title, I think all parties agree it should continue to be used the way it’s been used for the community of Sitka and for the tribal members here.”

Sealaska attorney Jaeleen Araujo speaking to the Sitka assembly last Tuesday.

The assembly had one other visitor: Rep. Bill Thomas of Haines was also in town for the Sealaska meeting. After three revisions to the state’s redistricting map in the past month, Haines again appears likely to be included with Sitka’s district. Thomas did not speak formally to the assembly. He’ll have until June 1 to file to run for the new district.

Read other recent reports on the Sealaska lands legislation.