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Testimony of Haida Corporation 

 Page Two of Two 



Almost all of the Haida' s ancestral lands which would meet 

 the criteria quoted above were already committed to others 

 (Native corporations, wilderness, timber contracts) at the time 

 of enactment of the Haida Land Exchange Act of 1986. Some of 

 these lands were among the best timber lands in Alaska. From our 

 own study and according to our consultant, there are just three 

 remaining areas which consist of traditional Haida lands and meet 

 the criteria described above. They are Sulzer Portage, Nutkwa, 

 and Karta, with Nutkwa and Karta containing a large percentage of 

 the acreage which meets the Section 10 criteria. 



According to the Haida Exchange Act, the withdrawal of lands 

 for selection by Haida Corporation is to occur in 1995. When 

 this timeframe was established, it was not anticipated that 

 intervening legislation might be enacted which would affect the 

 pool of ancestral Haida lands potentially available for Haida 

 Corporation's selection. With respect specifically to S.346, it 

 was not anticipated that the Tongass Land Management Planning 

 process would be altered, as the 1995 date ties in part to that 

 process. Karta and Nutkwa are both designated as timber 

 moratorivun areas under S.346. 



Haida Corporation requests that any Tongass legislation 

 approved by this committee confirm Haida Corporation's selection 

 rights to lands of value to the Haida. According to the sponsors 

 of the Haida legislation, these "Section 10" lands were to give 

 Haida Corporation "a future." Haida Corporation's future will 

 depend on these lands. 



Haida Corporation is just emerging from Chapter 11, after 

 three and a half long and difficult years. We are very proud 

 that Haida Corporation paid all its creditors in full, with 

 interest. However, we had to liquidate a great deal of our land 

 to do so. 



We are concerned that when 1995 comes, there will be little 

 left to select under Section 10. Moreover, Haida Corporation 

 cannot afford the uncertainty and expense of making its 

 selections in the context of a changing, and increasingly complex 

 Tongass land management process. 



We must choose our future path carefully. We need to find 

 lands meeting the Section 10 criteria which are close to home, 

 which are of traditional significance, and which lend themselves 

 to management from Hydaburg. 



With respect, we urge the Committee not to forget the 



commitment of the 99th Congress to the Haida people, and request 



that the committee protect our Section 10 rights in the pending 

 legislation. Thank you. 



