Program Review---Subsistence Management for Public Lands in Alaska

The Gates of the Arctic National Park Subsistence Resource Commission (SRC) supports the Secretarial Review of the Federal Subsistence Management Program. They argue that rural membership on the Regional Advisory Councils and the Federal Subsistence Board is essential for providing continuity, local knowledge, and upholding the requirements of ANILCA.

The Igiugig Village Council, a federally recognized Indian Tribe, supports the current structure of the Federal Subsistence Board and the Office of Subsistence Management. They urge the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to maintain existing tribal and public seats on the board and to uphold the protections for rural subsistence rights established by ANILCA.

Patricia Phillips, a long-time member of the Southeast Alaska Regional Advisory Council, provides historical context on the subsistence management process. She emphasizes the importance of rural voices and institutional knowledge while expressing appreciation for the ongoing dialogue on subsistence resources.

Deanna Kosbruk, an Ahtna-Kohtaene individual, opposes the scoping review of the Federal Subsistence Management Program. She argues that the review was triggered by a single interest group (Safari Club International) and that the current management program already provides necessary rural priorities for tribal citizens.

Nathan Newcomer of the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council opposes a petition by Safari Club International regarding subsistence management. He urges the Federal Government to maintain the current structure of the Federal Subsistence Board and ANILCA laws while prioritizing the voices of rural and Native communities.

Louis Green, a resident of Nome and former committee member, supports the federal subsistence management framework over state management, which he believes prioritizes commercial interests. He advocates for maintaining the current structure of the Subsistence Board and emphasizes the importance of federal jurisdiction in ensuring food security for rural Alaska residents.

Melanie Bahnke, representing herself as a subsistence user and rural Alaskan, opposes changes to the Federal Subsistence Management Program that would diminish indigenous rights or favor special interest groups like the Safari Club International. She calls for an extension of the scoping period, face-to-face consultation with all 229 federal tribes, and a rejection of changes to the Federal Subsistence Board membership and RAC criteria.

Heather Bauscher, a rural Alaska resident and former policy advisor, opposes the proposed action because she believes it threatens to remove six public seats from the Federal Subsistence Board. She argues that maintaining public voices with lived experience is essential to protecting subsistence rights and cultural practices from being overshadowed by economic interests.

Tanner Amdur-Clark, a partner at a law firm, opposes the proposed changes to the Federal Subsistence Management Program. He argues that the proposed changes are unnecessary because the current Board already follows the law, uses science-based decision-making, and includes necessary voices from rural and Alaska Native people.

Ian Johnson, a resident of Hoonah and secretary for the State Advisory Committee, opposes the proposed changes to the Federal Subsistence Board's makeup, RAC member qualifications, and state deference. He argues that the changes erode rural and Indigenous voices, favor commercial interests over subsistence, and fail to uphold the requirements of ANILCA.