Nick Begich Condemned The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), Which Protected Alaska Native Subsistence Lands

Begich Condemned ANILCA And Said That Alaska Had Been Denied The “Ability To Develop Our Own State, Our Own Resources.” BEGICH: “The reason why we’re continuing to take this money is because we’ve been denied the ability to develop our own state, our own resources in Alaska. This started, with President Carter put ANILCA through, which locked up enormous amounts of Alaska land.” [YouTube, Michael Dukes Show, 1:10:46-1:12:19, 4/1/24]

ANILCA Sought To Protect Alaska’s Natural Ecosystems And “Traditional Ways Of Living On The Land”

The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) Sought To Protect Alaska’s Natural Ecosystems And Landscapes While Preserving “Opportunity For Traditional Ways Of Living On The Land.” “In 1980, when Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), it recognized the importance of protecting Alaska’s splendid natural ecosystems and landscapes, while preserving the opportunity for traditional ways of living on the land to continue.” [National Park Service, accessed6/6/24]

ANILCA Explicitly Protected Subsistence Uses For Rural Residents Of Alaska. “Congress acknowledged the exceptional and unique conditions of life in Alaska’s rural areas in Title VIII of the Act, noting that: ‘The Congress finds and declares that the continuation of the opportunity for subsistence uses by rural residents of Alaska, including both Natives and non-Natives, on the public lands and by Alaska Natives on Native lands is essential to Native physical, economic, traditional, and cultural existence’” [National Park Service, accessed6/6/24]

Rural Alaska Natives Relied “Significantly On Subsistence Harvests, Which Constitute 50-90% Of Their Dietary Intake.” “Rural Alaska Native communities rely significantly on subsistence harvests, which constitute between 50% to 90% of their dietary intake. The loss of access to these vital sources of food would have profound consequences.” [Alaska Beacon, 4/12/24]

ANILCA Resolved A Lack Of Protections For Alaska Native Hunting And Fishing Rights

ANILCA Was Created In Response To A Lack Of Protection For Alaska Native Hunting And Fishing Rights. “In 1980 Congress reacted to the State’s lack of protection of Alaska Native subsistence uses and attempted to carry out the unfulfilled settlement of aboriginal hunting and fishing rights through the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) in 1980.” [University of Alaska Fairbanks, accessed 6/6/24]

Native American Rights Fund: ANILCA “Recognizes That Subsistence Fishing Is Essential To Alaska Natives’ Physical, Economic, Traditional, And Cultural Existence.” “The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) recognizes that subsistence fishing is essential to Alaska Natives’ physical, economic, traditional, and cultural existence, and mandates a subsistence fishing preference for rural residents whenever it becomes necessary to restrict fishing to conserve fish populations.” [Native American Rights Fund, Press Release, 4/2/24]