The Alaska Native Settlement ActThe Alaska Native Settlement ActCarlos CeballosCarlos Ceballos

Urban Studies 515 Final ProjectUrban Studies 515 Final Project

Race Poverty and the Urban Race Poverty and the Urban EnvironmentEnvironment

Professor: Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes Urban and Environmental Studies Professor: Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes Urban and Environmental Studies program SFSUprogram SFSU

Spring 2004Spring 2004 Public has permission to use the material herein, but only if Carlos Ceballos, URBS Public has permission to use the material herein, but only if Carlos Ceballos, URBS

515, San Francisco State University and Raquel Pinderhughes are credited.515, San Francisco State University and Raquel Pinderhughes are credited.

This presentation focuses on This presentation focuses on The Alaska Native The Alaska Native Settlement ActSettlement Act. It is designed to inform about . It is designed to inform about

the effects of the introduction of the the effects of the introduction of the oil industryoil industry in Alaska. It analyzes how the U.S government in Alaska. It analyzes how the U.S government dispossessed the natives of Alaska from their land, dispossessed the natives of Alaska from their land, paying particular attention to the social, paying particular attention to the social, environmental and public health impacts of the environmental and public health impacts of the processes associated with the introduction of the processes associated with the introduction of the oil industryoil industry to the advantage of the U.S to the advantage of the U.S government but clear detriment of the native government but clear detriment of the native populations of this area.populations of this area.

What is the Alaska What is the Alaska Native Settlement act?Native Settlement act?

The Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act of 1971 consists of the The Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act of 1971 consists of the expropriation of land from native inhabitants of Alaska by the expropriation of land from native inhabitants of Alaska by the

U.S. government to create profitable corporations, whose nature U.S. government to create profitable corporations, whose nature is to extract natural resources, mainly petroleum out of the is to extract natural resources, mainly petroleum out of the

Alaskan territory Alaskan territory

Why the Alaska Native Why the Alaska Native Settlement Act?Settlement Act?

The Alaska Native The Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act of Claim Settlement Act of 1971 was created by 1971 was created by the U.S government to the U.S government to obtain possession of obtain possession of lands that have lands that have reserves in fossil fuels reserves in fossil fuels

Who created the Alaska Who created the Alaska Settlement Act?Settlement Act?

The act was a creation of the government The act was a creation of the government during the early seventies, commanded by during the early seventies, commanded by President Nixon without the consent of the President Nixon without the consent of the natives from Alaska or the American public natives from Alaska or the American public

The CorporationsThe Corporations

A hundred shares of the A hundred shares of the corporations were corporations were distributed among each of distributed among each of those who could prove at those who could prove at least a quarter of native least a quarter of native Alaskan blood. The Alaskan blood. The shares can’t be sold or shares can’t be sold or traded but can be passed traded but can be passed on from generation to on from generation to generation. generation.

...but the objective of corporations is to ...but the objective of corporations is to earn profits without considering culture, earn profits without considering culture, environment, lifestyle or health of environment, lifestyle or health of Native AmericansNative Americans

Money Which Never CameMoney Which Never Came

Economists have found Economists have found that the majority of that the majority of corporations are in corporations are in financial trouble. Most of financial trouble. Most of the money has been the money has been spent on legal fees. spent on legal fees. Therefore, benefits Therefore, benefits natives were supposed to natives were supposed to receive never came. A receive never came. A corporation officer says corporation officer says that about a tenth of the that about a tenth of the money produced by money produced by corporations has been corporations has been spent on lawyers and spent on lawyers and legal fees. legal fees.

Social Cultural ChangesSocial Cultural Changes

ConflictConflict

The Alaska Settlements act has divided, displaced, and The Alaska Settlements act has divided, displaced, and disrupted the Alaska native way of life. The act divided the disrupted the Alaska native way of life. The act divided the native people into artificial regions, which otherwise wouldn’t native people into artificial regions, which otherwise wouldn’t have existed. The division has caused political and have existed. The division has caused political and economical conflict as well as competition among tribes economical conflict as well as competition among tribes

Social Cultural ChangesSocial Cultural Changes

Social cultural changes Social cultural changes affected native populations of affected native populations of Alaska, as they had to adapt to Alaska, as they had to adapt to lifestyles of non-natives who lifestyles of non-natives who came with the development of came with the development of oil complexes. oil complexes.

A very important change in A very important change in values came with the values came with the introduction of new religions introduction of new religions such as Christianity, new such as Christianity, new education systems, and education systems, and government bureaucracies that government bureaucracies that operate in a very different way operate in a very different way than natives were used to in than natives were used to in their daily lives. their daily lives.

Economic ChaosEconomic Chaos The economic structure of The economic structure of

tribes was also greatly tribes was also greatly impacted by the influx of new impacted by the influx of new immigrant oil developers. immigrant oil developers.

Local markets were greatly Local markets were greatly impacted by the introduction of impacted by the introduction of new products U.S immigrants new products U.S immigrants brought with them. The brought with them. The sudden insertion of new sudden insertion of new products which compete with products which compete with traditional local produced traditional local produced goods eliminated many goods eliminated many traditional jobs in Alaska. traditional jobs in Alaska.

A Shift in Working ActivitiesA Shift in Working Activities

Decreasing prices of fish in the global market caused the Decreasing prices of fish in the global market caused the

fishing industry in Alaska to become less attractive, while fishing industry in Alaska to become less attractive, while stable demand for oil made it more appealing for people to stable demand for oil made it more appealing for people to engage in activities related with the extraction and engage in activities related with the extraction and transportation of oil. transportation of oil.

...But working conditions in the ...But working conditions in the oil industry are not goodoil industry are not good

Environmental Health ProblemsEnvironmental Health Problems

A third of the 11,000 workers used to clean the beaches and rocks from A third of the 11,000 workers used to clean the beaches and rocks from oil spills of the Exxon-Valdez are suffering health problems related to the oil spills of the Exxon-Valdez are suffering health problems related to the exposure of solvents and oils which they had to work with during the exposure of solvents and oils which they had to work with during the cleanup. cleanup.

More than half the workers are complaining of respiratory disorders. More than half the workers are complaining of respiratory disorders.

The workers were sent to clean the beaches with out protective The workers were sent to clean the beaches with out protective equipment, nor proper training equipment, nor proper training

Damage to the Natural Damage to the Natural HabitatHabitat

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

Global warming, resulting from Global warming, resulting from the excessive emission of the excessive emission of carbon dioxide, coming from the carbon dioxide, coming from the burning of fossil fuels has greatly burning of fossil fuels has greatly affected the lives of people in affected the lives of people in Alaska. Alaska.

Native people of Alaska rely on Native people of Alaska rely on the land for food and culture, the land for food and culture, therefore changes of weather therefore changes of weather which come from global warming which come from global warming greatly affect the very diverse greatly affect the very diverse ecology natives of Alaska ecology natives of Alaska depend on depend on

Precipitation is greater Precipitation is greater permafrost is thawing permafrost is thawing sea-ice is melting sea-ice is melting glaciers are receding glaciers are receding massive sheets of the artic shelve massive sheets of the artic shelve

have been breaking offhave been breaking offfish populations are decliningfish populations are declining

Results of global warming in Alaska:Results of global warming in Alaska:

Oil SpillsOil Spills

Oil spills like the Oil spills like the Exxon-Valdez, have Exxon-Valdez, have caused great harm to caused great harm to the natural the natural environment of environment of Alaska. Species such Alaska. Species such as the pink salmon as the pink salmon have suffered from have suffered from the contamination of the contamination of oil in waters oil in waters

Air PollutionAir Pollution

Air pollution has also become a serious problem in Air pollution has also become a serious problem in Alaska. Oil fields are beginning to age, for nitrogen Alaska. Oil fields are beginning to age, for nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide emissions oxides, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide emissions are increasingly contaminating the atmosphere. These are increasingly contaminating the atmosphere. These emissions are known to cause health problems to emissions are known to cause health problems to workers and people who live along the areas of where workers and people who live along the areas of where the natural resources are being processed the natural resources are being processed

Vegetation and Animals in DangerVegetation and Animals in Danger

The construction of The construction of pipelines such as the pipelines such as the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline Trans-Alaska oil pipeline has contributed to the has contributed to the detriment of the natural detriment of the natural habitat in Alaska. The habitat in Alaska. The transportation of hot oil transportation of hot oil over frozen and unstable over frozen and unstable earth has endangered the earth has endangered the vegetation and animals vegetation and animals around the area around the area

ConclusionConclusion

Alaska has been greatly changed in Alaska has been greatly changed in detrimental ways by the development of detrimental ways by the development of the oil industry. the oil industry.

The creation of the Alaska Native Claim The creation of the Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act of 1971 was a plan to take Settlement Act of 1971 was a plan to take the land away from the domain of the the land away from the domain of the Native Alaskan tribes and for the U.S. Native Alaskan tribes and for the U.S. government to exploit in the name of government to exploit in the name of industrial progress. industrial progress.

BibliographyBibliographyhttp://www.ienearth.org/alaska_native_working.pdfhttp://www.ienearth.org/alaska_native_working.pdf..

The Oversight Hearing Before the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs The Oversight Hearing Before the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs from the House of Representatives, Ninety Ninth Congress first session on from the House of Representatives, Ninety Ninth Congress first session on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Hearing held in Anchorage, AK. August Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Hearing held in Anchorage, AK. August 9, 19859, 1985

What Happened to Fairbanks? The effects of the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline on What Happened to Fairbanks? The effects of the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline on the community of Fairbanks, Alaska. Mim Dixon. Copyright 1978 by Westview the community of Fairbanks, Alaska. Mim Dixon. Copyright 1978 by Westview Pres, Inc.Pres, Inc.

Extreme Conditions Big Oil and the Transformation of Alaska. John Extreme Conditions Big Oil and the Transformation of Alaska. John Strohmeyer. Simon and Shuster. Copyright 1993 by John Strohmeyer.Strohmeyer. Simon and Shuster. Copyright 1993 by John Strohmeyer.

A Systems approach to Social Impact Assessment, Two Alaskan Case A Systems approach to Social Impact Assessment, Two Alaskan Case Studies. Lawrnce A. Palinkas, Bruce Murray Harris, and John S. Petterson. Studies. Lawrnce A. Palinkas, Bruce Murray Harris, and John S. Petterson. Copyright 1985 by Westview Press, Inc.Copyright 1985 by Westview Press, Inc.

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