Program objective

Congress appropriated funding starting in fiscal year 2023 for EPA to establish and implement a grant program to assist Tribal entities in Alaska with addressing contamination on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act lands that were contaminated prior to the time of conveyance. Grants may be used for site assessment and remediation, as well as related community outreach and involvement. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971 (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) included the transfer of 44 million acres to Alaska Native regional and village corporations. Some of these lands were contaminated prior to conveyance (transfer) to Alaska Native corporations from a variety of past activities such as fuel storage, power generation, waste handling practices, mining, and other activities. These contaminants can pose health concerns to Alaska Native communities, impact subsistence resources, and impair cultural or economic activities. The contaminated sites are on lands formerly managed by federal government agencies within the United States (U.S) and then conveyed by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, to Alaska Native Corporations pursuant to ANCSA. These sites were conveyed with pre- existing contamination. EPA is maintaining an inventory of such sites on its Contaminated ANCSA Sites Common Operating Picture. The objectives of EPA’s Contaminated ANCSA Lands Assistance Agreements are to provide funding to: (1) characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement activities related to these lands; and (2) carry out cleanup activities at contaminated ANCSA sites.