The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, March 17, 2010, on an Alaska Native land bill.

H.R. 2099, the Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization Act, authorizes the transfer of land to Sealaska, an Alaska Native regional corporation. Up to 85,000 acres could be conveyed under the bill.

The bill was in the Alaska news recently because the Sealaska chairman, state Sen. Albert Kookesh (D), was ordered to issue an apology to the city of Craig over remarks he made to the city council. The Alaska Legislature's Ethics Committee said he shouldn't have implied that the city's stance on the bill would affect its funding.

The Senate version of the bill is S.881. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests, held a hearing on October 8.

Committee Notice:
Full Committee Legislative Hearing On H.R. 2099 (March 17, 2010)

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