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Show Reprinted from the Congressional Record, Page H3368, and the California Mining Journal By Philip M. Crane Member of Congress 12th District, Illinois Mr. Chairman, In the initial session of the first Congress of the United States an act "to provide for the Government of the territory Northwest North-west of the river Ohio" was approved on August 7, 1787. Chapter 8 of this statute states that the Federal Government shall provide for the establishment of States and a permanent government govern-ment therein, and also that these future States shall be admitted "on an equal footing" with the original States. Today, as we disucss and decide the future of the Alaskan lands, it is interesting to note just how much of these lands will really belong to the State of Alaska. When enacted, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 guaranteed each State the right of ownership owner-ship of the lands existing within their boundaries. The Thirteen Original States were given title to all of their land, and so this guarantee was to follow with every other State that wished to join the Union, but times have changed since 1787 and the omnipotence of the Federal Government Govern-ment has again Interfered in State's rights. Based on the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, let us compare the size of the various States, remembering that a State is only that territory which enters the Union on equal footing. I am sure that most of my colleagues would venture to say that Alaska, with its 365 million acres, is the largest State in the Union. That is not quite true. The size of a state is determined by how much of it is actually owned by that State. For instance, you could place the state of California Inside the state of Montana with room to spare. A state the size of Maine could , easily contain the state of Idaho, or Utah or a state the size of Nevada twice. And would you believe that the State of Alaska can fit inside in-side the state of Iowa? My home state of Illinois Illi-nois is larger than Alaska and its boundaries contain con-tain only 36 million acres. Our distinguished colleague, col-league, Mr. Udall, represents the state of Arizona Ari-zona whose acreage also exceeds that of Alaska. Why, even Mr. Carter comes from a state that is greater in size than the state of Alaska. Alaska ranks 17th, behind such states as California, Cali-fornia, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. And even better news for Texans, even after Alaska acquires title to the 104 million acres our Government will allow it to obtain, Alaska will only rank number two. Not only does this legislation conflict with the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, but it also makes a mockery of more recent acts of Congress. At the time Alaska entered the Union In 1959, less than one percent of her lands were privately owned; the rest of the land was tied up in Government Govern-ment ownership. With the Statehood Act passed, Alaska was to achieve full equality with the existing exist-ing 48 States which included the opportunity to be come self sufficient, economically strong and most importantly, to be free to select the 104 million acres that were to be the state of Alaska. The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs Af-fairs original report to the Congress on June 25, 1957, concerning statehood, states that "The new state becomes master of most of the natural . resources within its boundaries" and that "the state should have the right to select lands containing contain-ing real value for its economic and natural resources re-sources future." Throughout these 20 years, the Federal Fed-eral Government has time and again blocked the transfer of land to the State of Alaska. The Government began its never ending interference into the affairs of this State by imposing a land freeze in 1966 in order to settle the claims of Alaska's Natives. In 1972, new Federal land withdrawals were Imposed upon Alaska,further restricting the State's right of selection. Alaska had selected 70 million of these acres, but the Interior In-terior Department contested some of these selections. sel-ections. After an out of court settlement, the state was left with only 42 of these 70 million acres. By 1973, the Native withdrawals were completed and 300 million acres were declared off limits for further state land selections.And finally, the invocation of the Antiquities Act by President Carter in December, 1978, created 56 million acres of monuments, while Interior Secretary Sec-retary Andrus withdrew 55 million additional acres from State selection. At this time, only 21 million acres have been patented, although 54 million other acres await Government approval. ap-proval. The issue we are facing here today is not one of environment versus development Interests but something much more basic. The State of Alaska is seeking to achieve that which other States have struggled to attain: Access to the land within their boundaries and the right to manage it. After all, who is betterqualified to determine the uses of the lands in our 49th state the citizens citi-zens of Alaska or some young bureaucrat in Washington drawing his $50,000 a year salary and residing in Georgetown? I would wholeheartedly concur with what the gentleman has said earlier. I am grateful that my home state of Illinois we do not come under these restrictive provisions. I would appeal to my colleagues from States east of the Mississippi Missis-sippi to support the desires of those who reside in our sister states west of the Mississippi who want to enjoy the control and disposition of the lands within their borders. Let these States at last join the Union on the basis of equality. The following figures are taken from the 1978 Edition of the Statistical Abstract of the United States, printed by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The column headed "State Owned Own-ed Acres" (actually state and privately owned acres), was computed and added by the California Cali-fornia Mining Journal. State Total Acres 1 Federally Owned State-Owned Acres Alaska 365,482,000 90.5 34,721,000 Arizona 72,688,000 44.2 40,560,000 1 California 100,207,000 46.1 54,012,000 ; Colorado 66,486,000 35.6 42,817,000 ' Idaho 52,933,000 63.7 19,215,000 Montana 93,271,000 29.6 65,663,000 Nevada 70,264,000 87.6 8,713,000 New Mexico 77,766,000 33.5 51,714,000 Oregon 61,599,000 52.5 29,260,000 Utah 52,697,000 65.1 18,391,000 Washington 42,694,000 29.1 30,270,000 Wyoming 62,343.000 48.6 32,044,000 Total... 1,118,430,000 61.8 427,380,000 |