Chugach Alaska Land Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025

Summary

Authorizes a negotiated land exchange between the Chugach Alaska Native Regional Corporation and the United States to resolve split-surface/subsurface ownership created when oil-spill settlement funds acquired surface estates and conservation easements. The exchange would transfer roughly 231,000 acres of non‑Federal subsurface interests to the United States in return for about 65,374 acres of federally owned fee land to Chugach Alaska, consolidate federal surface and subsurface ownership on acquired trust lands, require federal management of acquired parcels consistent with the unit containing them, and allow minor post-exchange corrections to maps and descriptions.

• Authorizes a targeted land exchange to fix split surface/subsurface ownership in the Chugach region caused by oil-spill settlement land acquisitions.
• Chugach Alaska would convey ~231,000 acres of subsurface and related interests; the U.S. would convey ~65,374 acres of Federal fee land to Chugach Alaska.
• The Secretary must accept an offer within one year of enactment, contingent on title being acceptable.
• All conveyances are subject to valid existing third-party rights and encumbrances as of enactment.
• Lands acquired by the United States will be managed as part of the Federal unit that contains them (e.g., National Forest management).
• Conveyances are treated under the ANCSA legal framework and incorporate ANCSA corporate definitions.
• Small parcels (up to 209 acres) held by Village Corporations for development or homesites are excluded from the exchange.
• The Secretary and Chugach Alaska may mutually correct minor mapping, acreage, or description errors; maps control on conflicts unless parties agree otherwise.
• Implements recommendations from the Chugach Region Land Study to consolidate federal ownership where the Exxon Valdez program acquired surface interests.