FY2015-23 Supporting the Subsistence Access Management Act of 2015 1 Introduced by: Borough Assembly
2 Requested by: Borough Lobbyist O'Kelly
3 Drafted by: Borough Lobbyist O'Kelly
4 Introduced on: 06/18/2015
5 Postponed to: 07/02/2015
Postponed 07/02/2015
6 Indefinitely:
7
8 KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
9 RESOLUTION NO. FY 2015-23
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11 A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
12 SUPPORTING THE SUBSISTENCE ACCESS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2015
13
14 WHEREAS, subsistence harvest offish and game has long been part,of the history,,culture,
15 way-of-life and survival for the communities and residents of Kodiak",lsland, and is vital for
16 economic, dietary, and food access needs; and
17 .
18 WHEREAS, subsistence rights on Federal lands and watersfor;Native and rural Alaskans
19 are inscribed in Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands "Conservation Act (ANILCA);
20 and
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22 WHEREAS, the remoteness and isolation of many of'the"Island's villages and communities,
23 along with the relative lack of commercial food storesand difficulty accessing them, makes
24 subsistence harvest all the more critical for many tithe Island's residents; and
25
26 WHEREAS, the Island's road infrastructure is limited and transportation access at many of
27 our communities is restricted to float planes,,or�by boat. Inclement weather further limits the
28 ability of our residents to travel to wh, re commercial food stores are present; and
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30 WHEREAS, the cost-of-living opKodiak,lsland is high and many of our residents have
31 lower incomes and therefore depend on subsistence harvest to meet their nutritional needs;
32 and
33
34 WHEREAS, our villages ar elargely populated by Alaskan Natives whose traditional
35 subsistence use spans'�many generations; and
36
37 WHEREAS, ,,"federal agencies (including those within the Departments of Interior and
38 Agriculture)Oave long-considered Kodiak Island Borough "rural" in terms of qualifying for
39 certain.Federal/progra'rns, services and funding; and
40
41 WHEREAS, the Departments of Interior and Agriculture have previously determined that
42 Borough residents qualified for subsistence rights under the definition of rural determination in
43 ANILCAbut are considering the use of a population-based threshold that places that status in
44 question/;"and
45
46 WHEREAS, the Departments have issued a Proposed Rule on January 28, 2015 to
47 consider revisions to its definition of rural determination, with public comments taken until
48 April 1; and
49
50 WHEREAS, the Departments should give greater consideration in their rural determination
51 decisions to non-population-based considerations including: Kodiak's geographic isolation
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. FY2015-23
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52 and remoteness; a limited road infrastructure; high cost-of-living, including for food; historic
53 reliance on subsistence harvest; and significant Native population; and
54
55 WHEREAS, there is significant uncertainty toat the Departments in their Final Rule may rely
56 on a population-based standard in rural determination decisions that could result in Borough
57 residents losing their subsistence rights; and
58
59 WHEREAS, Senator Murkowski and Representative Young have introduced companion
60 legislation, titled "The Subsistence Access Management Act of 2015° to prohibit any changes
61 in rural determination by the Departments of Interior and Agriculture that would remove a
62 community currently qualified for subsistence rights unless Congress authorizes such
63 removal; and
64
65 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE KODIAK ISLAND,BOROUGH strongly
66 supports the "The Subsistence Access Management Act of 2015" and'urges its prompt
67 enactment in the 114th Congress.
68
69 ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
70 THIS DAY OF 2015'
71
72 KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
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75
76
77 Jerrol Friend, Borough Mayor
78
79 ATTEST:
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81
82
83
84 Nova M. Javier, MMC, 136r6ugh,06rk�
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. FY2015-23
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