Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Amendments of 1979

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Amendments of 1979 - Title I: Amendments to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act - Amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to cancel on December 18, 1991, all stock previously issued and to issue shares of appropriate class stock to each stockholder. Makes further provisions for permissible restrictions on stockholders; amendments to the articles of incorporation; and stock alienation, annual audits, and transfer of stock ownership.

Allows the Secretary of the Interior, upon the request of a Village Corporation, to waive the requirement of such Act which requires that a Corporation select land in whole sections (and that natural features are to be used as boundaries) where such waiver is justified and appears to be beneficial.

Provides for reconveyances of less than 1,280 acres by a Village Corporation to a Municipal Corporation or the State in trust.

Makes provisions for the conveyance of real property by a Village Corporation to shareholders of such Corporation to provide homesites.

Stipulates that the basis of any land or mineral or timber interest received pursuant to this Act shall not be less than the fair value of such interest at the time of the first commercial development.

States that fire protection of Native land provided by the Department of the Interior shall cover "wildland" (formerly "forest").

Includes provisions for: (1) the issuance of an "interim conveyance" to the party entitled to lands to be conveyed to a Native, Native corporation, or Native group pursuant to this Act, if such lands have not been surveyed; (2)the selection of additional land by a Village Corporation where the lands selected and conveyed are insufficient to fulfill the Corporation's entitlement; (3) the selection of additional land by Regional Corporations where the public lands consist only of the mineral estate; and (4) the conveyance of surface title of existing cemetery and historical places to appropriate Regional Corporations. Disentitles any Regional Corporation, which asserts a claim with the Secretary, to certain subsurface estates of lands selected under such Act which are in a Wildlife Refuge. Authorizes such corporation to select from any in lieu surface or subsurface estate. Requires that any such claim must be asserted within 180 days after enactment.

Declares that all funds received from certain uses of lands withdrawn for selection by a Corporation shall be deposited in an escrow account until lands selected have been conveyed to the receiving corporation and that such proceeds shall be paid, together with interest accrued, to the appropriate Corporation or individual upon such conveyance.

Sets forth administrative provisions concerning the extension of the moratorium on State taxation of undeveloped and unimproved lands.

Specifies that no land conveyed to a Native Corporation pursuant to this Act which is within a contingency area designated in a timber sale contract let by the United States shall be subject to such contract or to entry or timbering by the contractor, until such Native Corporation: (1) has received conveyances to all of the land to which it is entitled; and (2) agrees to such timbering.

Title II: Other Related Provisions - Directs the Secretary to pay by grant to certified Native Group Corporations an amount not more than $100,000 or less than $50,000 for planning, development, or other authorized purposes.

Requires that payments under such Act shall be deposited into the Alaska Native Fund on the first day of the fiscal year for which the monies are appropriated and shall be distributed at the end of the first quarter of the fiscal year.

Allows the State or a Native Corporation to: (1) relinquish its rights in a valid selection of land which is partly within the boundary of a conservation system unit; and (2) select an equal acreage of other lands which are available for such purpose.

Directs the townsite trustee to convey all lands located in patented townsites or which are the subject of an application for patent on the date of enactment. Provides for the conveyance of unoccupied townsite lands. Requires the Secretary to act on any pending townsite entry and to issue patent, if appropriate, to the townsite trustee.

Directs the Secretary to negotiate with specified Native Corporations for boundaries and prices of certain areas of the Pribilof Islands group to be included in the Pribilof National Wildlife Refuge.

Lists specified lands of: (1) the Nana/Cook Inlet Regional Corporation, the Ahtna Regional Corporation, and the Bering Straits Regional Corporation to be withdrawn for selection; and (2) the Doyon Regional Corporation to be exchanged for lands relinquished. Requires that the Hodzana River area be managed as a study area by the Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with Doyon, Limited. Requires that the United States convey to the State of Alaska all right, title, and interest of the United States in specified lands. Lists lands, previously selected by Doyon, Limited, which such corporation may identify in partial satisfaction of its entitlement under such Act.

Provides for the settlement of certain claims and litigation: (1) to consolidate the ownership of specified lands among the United States, the State of Alaska, the Municipality of Anchorage, Eklutna, Incorporated, and Cook Inlet Region, Incorporated; and (2) to implement such Act under the unique circumstances of the Native Village of Eklutna.

Directs the Secretary to convey: (1) the surface and subsurface estates of specified lands on Afognak Island to Koniag, Incorporated and affiliated corporations; and (2) public lands selected by the Chugach Regional Corporation from certain lands within the Chugach National Forest. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Alaska Advisory Coordinating Council, in conjunction with Chugach Natives, Incorporated, and the State of Alaska, if the State chooses to participate, to study the land ownership and use patterns in the Chugach region.

Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) accept from the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation a relinquishment of all right, title, and interest of such Corporation in specified Alaskan lands; and (2) convey to such Corporation specified lands in exchange.

Directs the Secretary to make specified conveyances of land pursuant to the Cook Inlet Village Settlement.

Withdraws specified lands for selection pursuant to the provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Allows the Bristol Bay Native Corporation to select, within 180 days, lands withdrawn pursuant to this section. Directs the Secretary to convey to the Bristol Bay Native Corporation the surface and subsurface estate of the acreage selected.

Directs the Secretary to convey to Shee Atika, Inc. and the SEAlaska Corporation lands comprising Charcoal and Alice Islands. Requires Shee Atika, Inc. to relinquish land of equal acreage selected by or conveyed to it.

Authorizes the Cook Inlet Region, Inc. to bid for surplus property in accordance with existing General Services Administration regulations. Sets forth procedures for such bidding on surplus property.

Validates the roll prepared by the Secretary confirming the status of the Native members of Tanalian Incorporated as shareholders at large within the Bristol Bay Native Corporation. Entitles Tanalian, Inc., if certified as a group, to make certain land selections.

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to exchange lands or interests in land, for the purpose of acquiring all or part of any Admiralty Island land entitlement, or any interest therein, of Kootznoowoo, Incorporated, or SEAlaska, Incorporated.

Authorizes and directs the Secretary to convey to Goldbelt, Incorporated, and to SEAlaska, Incorporated, the lands and interest in lands covered by the Exchange Agreement between such Corporations and the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior. Ratifies the terms of such Agreement as a matter of Federal law. Authorizes appropriations for payment of land selection costs incurred by such Native corporations.

Title III: Implementation of Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act - Conveys to a Village Corporation found eligible by the Secretary of the Interior, the surface estate to public land in its "core" township or townships (towns or townships in which the Native Villages are located). Stipulates that where two or more corporations have claim to the same township, the conveyance is delayed until an arbitration decision or other binding agreement between or among the Corporations is filed with and published by the Secretary.

Conveys to a Village Corporation for a Native Village found eligible by the Secretary, the surface estate to certain lands in the "core" township.

Conveys the surface and subsurface estate in the former Indian Reserve to certain Village Corporations. Excludes the Village Corporation for the Native Village of Klukwan from such conveyances.

Conveys the subsurface estate in "core" townships to Regional Corporations to the extent they would otherwise have obtained such subsurface estate pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Stipulates that the provisions relating to such conveyances shall be applicable only to Native Corporations which elect to receive conveyances within 180 days of enactment or the date of its eligibility determination.

Permits Native Corporations to utilize an expedited conveyance procedure, and sets forth such procedure. Requires Native Corporations choosing to utilize such procedure to file with the Secretary lists of their conveyance priorities.

Sets forth administrative provisions concerning: (1) easements on core township lands, other lands, and acquisition of future easements; (2) status of certain lease offers; and (3) Alaska Native allotments.

Establishes the Alaska Land Bank Program to facilitate the coordinated management and protection of Federal, State, and Native and other private lands. Authorizes certain private landowners to enter into agreements with the Secretary for ten years, with five year renewal periods, concerning the management of the affected lands. Sets forth required terms of such agreements, as well as benefits to private landowners. Provides, as to Native Corporations and other persons or groups that have received or will receive lands or interests therein pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or this Title, immunity from adverse possession, Federal and State taxation, and judgment in any action at law or equity to recover sums owed or penalties incurred by any Native Corporation, or any officer, director, or stockholder of any such Corporation. Stipulates that such benefits shall not apply to any lands which on the date of enactment of this Act are the subject of a mortgage, pledge, or other encumbrances.

Declares that when the United States conveys to any Native Corporation, pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act or this Act, any land or an interest in land which abuts or surrounds either a lake having a surface area of 160 acres or more, or a stream three chains wide or more, and which the Secretary has administratively determined to be nonnavigable, the United States shall convey and relinquish all claims to such right, title, and interest as it may then have to the submerged land under such body of water to the median line or midpoint.

Provides for judicial review of decisions of the Secretary under this title or the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act if: (1) such action is initiated before a court of competent jurisdiction within two years of the day the Secretary's decision becomes final, or the date of enactment of this Act (whichever is later); and (2) the party seeking such review has exhausted any administrative appeal rights.