Galena, Alaska RAB

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

From: Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>

 ***** WARNING: This is a long file. *****

I received the following email message from the Galena AFB RAB 
community co-chair, who has recently joined this electronic 
conference. The tribes in that area are just now sitting down with the 
Air Force again after over 40 years. 

As you will notice below, the RAB has done a good job of inviting a 
variety of stakeholders to their upcoming meeting.

Aimee Houghton

 ******************

From: ZQGG82A@prodigy.com (MR STEVE T HOWDESHELL)
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 19:10:42, -0500

Aimee,

I have been reading all of the email sent to me by careerpro and am 
concerned over the basic line running through all of this that most 
RAB's are not a functional unit. As the newly appointed co-chair of 
the Galena RAB I am greatful for the heads up on what I should expect 
from the Air Force in our upcoming efforts in restoration efforts in 
connection with the Galena Air Station.

We are conviening a public meeting on July 12, 1996 in Galena at 
which the community and the tribe are going to present their concerns 
about the effects of contamination on our tribes customary and 
tradirtional lifestyles and soverntey. At this meeting will be: USAF, 
ADEC, EPA, FEMA, BLM, Corp of Engineers, Senator Stevens Office, 
Congressman Don Young's Office, State of Alaska Emergency Services, 
State Senator Georgiana Lincoln, State Representative Irene Nicholia, 
and Representative's from Governor Knowles office.

This effort has been coordinated by Irene Nicholia's office and is in 
response to the Louden Tribe's Resolution 96-20 declairing the area 
around Galena Air Station, Campion Air Station, and Kalakakeet Creek 
Dew Line site a Environmental Disaster. 

Write back if you want more information

Steve 

Louden Village Council
P.O. Box 244
Galena, Alaska 99741
Phone (907) 656-1711
Fax (907) 656-1716

Resolution Number 96-20

A Resolution 
Declaring
The Area In And Around
Galena Airport, Campion Air Station 
and
Kalakaket Creek Dew Line Site
An Environmental Disaster

WHEREAS, the Louden Village Council is the federally recognized 
governing body for the Native Village of Galena and,

WHEREAS, the Louden Village Council believes there is an adverse 
impact upon its cultural and subsistence resources from one hundred 
thousand unassessed 55 gallon drums strewn across its lands and, 
further, as they deteriorate are spilling their contents of toxic 
materials on our land which nurtures our berries, fish, game and 
ourselves and,

WHEREAS, the Louden Village Council believes that these one hundred 
thousand drums are the property of the United States Air Force and,

WHEREAS, the Louden Village Council believes that these one hundred 
thousand drums came to be located as they are as a result of the 
great Yukon River flood of 1945 and subsequent flood of 1965;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Louden Village Council hereby 
declares that the land surrounding the Galena Airport, Campion Air 
Station, and Kalakaket Creek Dew Line Site is an Environmental 
Disaster and that immediate steps be taken to limit further damage 
and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a strategy for the mitigation of the 
existing impacts be developed in a manner that is consistent with 
local native culture and values and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Louden Village Council and the 
Native Village of Galena shall be empowered and assisted in 
developing, implementing and maintaining their own solutions, in 
conjunction with state and federal regulations, to village specific 
environmental problems and hazards and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that funding be made available from both 
federal and state sources for the capacity building, planning and 
mitigation of these one hundred thousand drums and other adverse 
environmental impacts to lands belonging to the Louden Tribal Members 
and, 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Native Village of Galena, the State 
of Alaska and the Government of The United States, in furthering self-
reliance and self-determination, must develop a mechanism which would 
allow and direct the aboriginal owners of this land to initiate and 
perpetrate action to insure the cultural and physical well-being of 
the tribe.


CERTIFICATION

We hereby certify that this resolution was duly passed by the Louden 
Village Council on the ___
day of April, 1996 by a vote of ___ yes, ___ no, ___ abstain.

Virginia Perry, First Chief Joyce Huntington, Tribal Clerk