The Bureau of Indian Affairs jurisdiction for ten Alaskan villages has been transferred from one Bureau agency to another so that the areas served by the agencies will more closely correspond to those of Regional Corporations established under the Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act, Marvin L Franklin, Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, announced today.
The Bureau's jurisdiction for nine villages --Anvik, Grayling, Shageluk, Holy Cross, McGrath, Nikolai, Medfra, Telida, Takotna --will be transferred from the Bethel Agency to the Fairbanks Agency. The jurisdiction for Mentasta will be transferred from the Fairbanks Agency Each Agency reports to the Juneau Area Office to the Anchorage Agency.
"The transfer will simplify administration and improve services to the villages, “ Franklin indicated, in announcing the change.
Each of the villages has submitted a resolution asking that the only two of the villages --Grayling and Shageluk transfer take place. -have Bureau of Indian Affairs day schools.
