§1618. Reservations; revocation; excepted reserve; acquisition of title to surface and subsurface estates in reserve; election of Village Corporations

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and except where inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, the various reserves set aside by legislation or by Executive or Secretarial Order for Native use or for administration of Native affairs, including those created under section 497 of title 25, are hereby revoked subject to any valid existing rights of non-Natives. This section shall not apply to the Annette Island Reserve established by section 495 of title 25 and no person enrolled in the Metlakatla Indian community of the Annette Island Reserve shall be eligible for benefits under this chapter.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this chapter, any Village Corporation or Corporations may elect within two years to acquire title to the surface and subsurface estates in any reserve set aside for the use or benefit of its stockholders or members prior to December 18, 1971. If two or more villages are located on such reserve, the election must be made by all of the members or stockholders of the Village Corporations concerned. In such event, the Secretary shall convey the land to the Village Corporation or Corporations, subject to valid existing rights as provided in section 1613(g) of this title, and the Village Corporation shall not be eligible for any other land selections under this chapter or to any distribution of Regional Corporations funds pursuant to section 1606 of this title, and the enrolled residents of the Village Corporation shall not be eligible to receive Regional Corporation stock.

( Pub. L. 92–203, §19, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 710 .)

Grants to Native Group Corporations for Planning, Development, and Other Purposes

Pub. L. 96–487, title XIV, §1413, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2498 , provided that: "The Secretary shall pay by grant to each of the Native Group Corporations established pursuant to section 14(h)(2) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [section 1613(h)(2) of this title] and finally certified as a Native Group, an amount not more than $100,000 or less than $50,000 adjusted according to population of each Group. Funds authorized under this section may be used only for planning, development, and other purposes for which the Native Group Corporations are organized under the Settlement Act [this chapter]."

Grants to Village Corporations for Planning, Development and Other Purposes

Pub. L. 94–204, §14, Jan. 2, 1976, 89 Stat. 1154 , provided that:

"(a) The Secretary shall pay, by grant, $250,000 to each of the corporations established pursuant to section 14(h)(3) of the Settlement Act [section 1613(h)(3) of this title].

"(b) The Secretary shall pay, by grant, $100,000 to each of the following Village Corporations:

"(1) Arctic Village;

"(2) Elim;

"(3) Gambell;

"(4) Savoonga;

"(5) Tetlin; and

"(6) Venetie.

"(c) Funds authorized under this section may be used only for planning, development, and other purposes for which the corporations set forth in subsections (a) and (b) are organized under the Settlement Act [this chapter].

"(d) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for the purpose of this section a sum of $1,600,000 in fiscal year 1976."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 1615, 1627, 1635, 1641 of this title; title 16 section 3102.