Rural Alaska

State and Ahtna reach settlement on long-disputed Klutina Lake access

A proposed settlement between the state of Alaska and Native corporation Ahtna Inc. would resolve a bitter access dispute across Alaska Native lands to popular recreation areas at Klutina Lake in the Copper River Valley.

It would also address decades of grave desecration and other problems stemming from a federal bridge project 50 years ago that bisected the Historic Gulkana Village off the Richardson Highway.

The proposed settlement, announced Monday by Gov. Bill Walker's office, is open for public comment through August. The state is holding public meetings next month in Glennallen, Gulkana, Anchorage, Wasilla and Fairbanks.

At issue: a lawsuit filed in 2008 by Ahtna to remove state authority over Klutina Lake Road and give it to the federal government, potentially limiting public access.

Thousands of summer visitors venture up the narrow, roughly 25-mile dirt road once followed by Valdez miners that winds from the Richardson to a small public access at the lake ringed by the Chugach Mountains. The visitors are usually looking to fish, raft or camp.

The state announced formal settlement negotiations in January, triggering a wave of criticism from some politicians and locals who wanted the state to prevail in court and establish state sovereignty over public access involving Native land. State officials, however, pointed to a 2016 judge's ruling that potentially weakened the state's legal position.

Gulkana village became part of the negotiations a few months ago, according to Alaska Department of Law spokeswoman Cori Mills.

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Gulkana, an Ahtna Athabascan Native village that is home to about 120 people, sits 14 miles northeast of Glennallen on the east bank of the Gulkana River near the Copper River. A 1943 highway realignment bisected the then-thriving village and led to the sudden forced resettlement across the river.

Ahtna elder Roy Ewan estimates 100 family members are buried in the old Gulkana village cemetery. Ahtna officials said an exact number of desecrated graves wasn't available.

"The parties just started realizing that all of these issues have to do with public access as well as private property rights and access to fishing areas," Mills said. "In the last two months, the parties realized it was logical to include them together."

Walker visited the village last year and spoke with traditional Chief Fred Ewan. The governor said in a statement that Ewan told him "he would like his village to regain ownership of his people's ancestral land and burial sites."

Michelle Anderson, president of Ahtna, the Glennallen-based Alaska Native corporation with more than 1,700 shareholders, said in a separate statement that the proposed settlement represents a "fair balance … that will enable Ahtna to protect and manage our private land while continuing to allow convenient public access for recreational opportunities."

The proposed settlement would move a public parking lot and other facilities at the Gulkana River boat launch to protect the historic town site and cemetery, which would be fenced and posted with historical and cultural signs.

The new parking area is planned to be built by 2020; the public can use the existing access until then, according to Ahtna.

The settlement also would recognize an existing 100-foot state right of way along Klutina Lake Road.

The state right of way provides public access to Klutina River boat put-ins. It emerged as one of the main sticking points during settlement negotiations. The state argued that historic use justified the existing 100-foot right of way while Ahtna argued a federal 60-foot federal width applied.

Other points of the proposed settlement include recognition of three existing primitive public boat launches for trailers along Klutina Lake Road and camping and overnight parking provided by Ahtna "for a reasonable fee" outside the state right of way, including at Boys' Camp.

Ahtna won't charge more than 15 percent higher than the state's highest rate for a few years, when the rate "must be reasonable," according to Ahtna general counsel Matt Block. Ahtna charges $25 per group or vehicle for camping on its lands and $125 for an annual recreation pass.

The settlement would also create a new 50-foot right of way to connect the lake road to state land on the lake that "has excellent potential for public recreation and hunting," according to Monday's press release.

That last proposal would simply establish the right of way — not the road, which would be new and require funding at $30,000 to $100,000 a mile for ATVs or $500,000 a mile for cars.

Public meetings on the proposed settlement begin Aug. 1 in Gulkana and Glennallen, with an Anchorage meeting on Aug. 2, Wasilla on Aug. 3 and Fairbanks on Aug. 7. Written comments must be received by Aug. 30.

Copies of the proposed settlement agreement, maps and a question-and-answer sheet can be found at gov.alaska.gov/klutina-gulkana-settlement.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

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