The Alaska Native Oil and Gas Working Group, a newly formed organization with representatives from diverse areas including Kaktovik, Cordova, Port Graham, the Kenai Peninsula, and Arctic Village, have called for an end to all new oil and gas development in Alaska. Instead, they propose exploring alternative energy sources, noting concerns over sustainability and the poisoning of wildlife critical to subsistence lifestyles. Evon Peter, chief of Arctic Village and spokesperson for the group, condemned the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) as an “illegitimate” attempt to grab native lands for oil development. ANCSA largely eliminated Native land claims in favor of creating Native corporations, preventing Alaska Natives from directly managing oil and gas reserves on their traditional lands.
