Amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Alexander Creek, Incorporated, is recognized as a Village Corporation under that Act, and for other purposes.

This bill would officially recognize Alexander Creek, Incorporated as an Alaska Native village corporation, and Alexander Creek as a Native village, under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. It directs the Department of the Interior to begin talks within 30 days to settle Alexander Creek’s land and other claims, with a final agreement due within 13 months. That agreement should offer value similar to what other village corporations have received. As part of the settlement, Alexander Creek may receive certain unused federal property through coordination with the General Services Administration.

Members of Alexander Creek would stop receiving payments directly from Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated; future resource payments would go to Alexander Creek, Incorporated instead, and the regional corporation would not be liable for ending those direct payments . The bill does not reduce land already held or selected by Alexander Creek, and it does not change other existing land agreements in the region.

Key points

• Who is affected: Alexander Creek, Incorporated and its members; the Department of the Interior; Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated .
• What changes: Recognition as a village corporation; required talks to settle claims; ability to receive unused federal property; shift of resource payments from individuals to the village corporation; no change to existing land entitlements .
• When: Talks must be offered within 30 days of enactment, and an agreement must be reached within 13 months; the change to member payments takes effect on enactment .