How ANCSA Revenue Sharing Works.

Sharing revenues from natural resource development is one of the core tenets of ANCSA, which granted village corporations the surface rights and regional corporations the subsurface rights to the lands that were conveyed to them in the agreement.

Revenue sharing requirements have enhanced cooperation between the village and regional corporations that own the 44 million acres that were transferred by the federal government through ANCSA and has created opportunities for economic growth for those organizations and the regions and villages they serve.

Sharing the Wealth

ANCSA transferred land titles to twelve Alaska Native regional corporations and more than 200 village or urban corporations.

According to the ANCSA Regional Association, because some land areas were richer in natural resources and had more potential for economic development, it was necessary to provide for other regions that did not have that advantage. ANCSA's revenue sharing provisions, which are contained in sections 7(i) and 7(j), ensure that all Alaska Native corporations and their shareholders benefit from revenues derived from natural resource development on ANCSA lands.

Section 7(i) requires that any revenues an Alaska Native regional corporation receives from ANCSA lands (for example, from timber resources or natural resources in subsurface estate) must be shared in a 70/30 split. Seventy percent of the revenue is disbursed to the other Alaska Native regional corporations and the remaining 30 percent is kept by the regional corporation that developed the natural resource.

Section 7(j) ensures that revenues from natural resource wealth are shared with Alaska Native village corporations. The regional corporations disburse 50 percent of the Section 7(i) revenues they receive to Alaska Native village...