H.R. 3903

Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025

 

Statement for the Record
U.S. Department of the Interior 
Bureau of Land Management

House Committee on Natural Resources 
Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs

H.R. 3903, Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and 
Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025 

September 9, 2025


Thank you for the opportunity to provide this Statement for the Record on H.R. 3903, the Chugach Alaska Land Exchange and Oil Spill Recovery Act of 2025.

H.R. 3903 would direct a land exchange between the Federal government and the Chugach Alaska Corporation (CAC) within one year of enactment. The Federal government would acquire over 231,000 acres of subsurface estate from the CAC, the majority of which underlies Federal and State of Alaska surface lands with conservation easements managed by the Federal government, or village corporation-owned lands with timber easements managed by the Federal government. In exchange, the CAC would receive the fee estate, both surface and subsurface estates, for nearly 64,000 acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service, approximately 1,200 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and 760 acres managed by the National Park Service.

The Department notes that there appear to be lands contemplated in the bill that were not identified in the Chugach Region Land Study as potentially available for exchange, and, as written, it is not clear whether the proposed exchange would need to be of equal value.

This exchange would protect sensitive ecosystems, fulfill the policy goals of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and restore economic opportunity to Chugach shareholders. The Department supports the intent of H.R. 3903 and looks forward to working with the Sponsor and the Subcommittee on some technical issues, including legal land descriptions, as well as considerations for survey timelines and terms of the proposed exchange, to ensure effective implementation. The Department defers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the disposition of lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service under this bill.

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