Articles of incorporation for the first three Regional Corporations authorized by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, have been approved by the Department of the Interior.
The three regional corporations represent over one-third of the natives in Alaska. They are NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. - - Northwest Alaska Native Association (Kotzebue); Calista Corporation - - Association of Village Council Presidents (southwest coast, all villages in the Bethel area, including all villages on the Lower Yukon River and the Lower Kuskokwim River); and Cook Inlet Region, Inc. - - Cook Inlet Association (Kenai, Tyonek, Eklutna, llliamma).
In approving incorporation of the three associations, Harrison Loesch, Assistant Secretary for Public Land Management, urged nine remaining associations enumerated in the Native Claims Act to speed the filing of incorporation papers to establish eligibility to receive financial assistance in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1972.
Loesch formally approved the three regional corporations at a ceremony yesterday in the Department of the Interior. He pointed out that legislation approved by Congress and signed by President Nixon May 30, 1972, authorizes advances of up to $500,000 to each regional corporation requesting such assistance in fiscal year 1972. The Secretary of the Interior must determine that the regional corporations need financial advances for organization purposes, to identify land authorized by the Act, and to repay loans and other obligations previously incurred for such purposes.
In telegrams to the associations that have not filed incorporation papers, Loesch said that "no advance can be made unless approved by June 30, 1972, and none can be made except to corporations which are actually organized before that date.”
Loesch also said “establishment of regional boundaries will be a factor in considering release of any funds obligated for advancement, II and urged that boundaries be given immediate attention.
The nine remaining associations covered by the Native Claim’s Act are:
Arctic Slope Native Association (Barrow Point Hope); Bering Straits Association (Seward Peninsula, Unalakleet, Saint Lawrence Island); Tanana Chiefs' Conference (Koyukuk, Middle and Upper Yukon Rivers, Upper Kuskokwim, Tanana :River); Bristol Bay Native Association (Dillingham, Upper Alaska Peninsula); Aleut League (Aleutian Islands, Probolof islands and that part of the Alaska Peninsula which is in the Aleut League); Chugach Native Association (Cordova, Tatitlek, Port Graham." English Bay, Valdez, and, Seward); Tlingit-Haida Central Council (Southeastern Alaska, including Metlakatla); Kodiak Area Native Association (all villages on and around Kodiak island); and Copper River Native Association (Cooper Center, Glennallen, Chitina, Mentasta).
