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Tribal Departments & Services
Land and Environment
Our mission is to understand, protect, restore,
secure and enhance traditional lands, environment and uses while
maintaining cultural integrity.
Eklutna Tribal Land Trust was formed to address
our environmental concerns, subsistence, and cultural values, and the
need to protect our traditional lands by working to place them under
conservation easements.
The Eklutna River assessments and restoration
program is in it’s 4th year. Several problem areas were identified
during assessments. The Railroad operated a gravel mine, and left the
area un-restored. These are hills with cultural, environmental, and
scenic significance to the village. “Eklutna” came from the Dena’ina
Native word for these two knobs and a river. Several ponds that serve as
salmon habitat could benefit from dredging, and re-vegetation. Another
problem area is Eklutna Lake. Three power companies have rights to all
the water and divert it from the river for power generation. For three
years we have measured the remaining river flow and submitted an
application to help reserve it for fish and wildlife. Our Eklutna River
Watershed Council brings together parties interested in the watershed
for its benefit.
In an Agreement, the Army is facilitating NVE to
work on cultural and natural resource assessments and management on Fort
Richardson. This should lead to a broadened sphere of beneficial
activities for Eklutna on our traditional lands.
The woodlands around the village were occupied
by the military before being conveyed to Eklutna Incorporated under
ANCSA. Termed Camp Mohawk, military debris and contaminants (barrels of
lead base paints and petroleum products) were left behind. NVE is now
working with the military to have this area cleaned up and restored.
The Land and Environment Department addresses
projects likely to impact NVE traditional lands and resources. We are
consulting with EPA in trying to reduce the toxic petroleum industry
discharges to the Cook Inlet waters. This is the only place that oil
platforms are allowed to discharge produced waters and drilling mud
containing toxic heavy metals and other contaminants into coastal
waters. The new general permit for this industry will disallow such
activities, honoring the Clean Water Act.
Our Department strives to maintain an
educational component in all its activities. We are instrumental in the
village recycling program and take every opportunity to educate the
community on recycling benefits. Village members are encouraged to
accompany staff on investigative field trips, learning fish counting and
other river monitoring techniques. Staff works with the Wellness
Department to develop educational projects for youth groups, help with
subsistence camps and cultural tours, and provide educational displays
at various events to inform others of environmental projects. We assist
with the tribal educational fish net, and produced an educational moose
hunting video to pass along traditional hunting and fishing knowledge.
The contact address is
26339 Eklutna Village Road
Chugiak, AK 99567
(Attention Land and Environment Department)
Contact number (907) 688-6020 or fax (907) 688-6021,
or email nve@eklutna-nsn.gov.
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