Alaska Natives

KTOO: “Coin commemorating Alaska Native civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich released”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

SCOTUS Decides Sturgeon v. Frost II

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the opinion.

Materials here.

Update — footnote 2 of the majority:

As noted earlier, the Ninth Circuit has held in three cases—the so called Katie John trilogy—that the term “public lands,” when used in ANILCA’s subsistence-fishing provisions, encompasses navigable waters like the Nation River. See Alaska v. Babbitt, 72 F. 3d 698 (1995); John v. United States, 247 F. 3d 1032 (2001) (en banc); John v. United States, 720 F. 3d 1214 (2013); supra, at 12. Those provisions are not at issue in this case, and we therefore do not disturb the Ninth Circuit’s holdings that the Park Service may regulate subsistence fishing on navigable waters. See generally Brief for State of Alaska as Amicus Curiae 29–35 (arguing that this case does not implicate those decisions); Brief for Ahtna, Inc., as Amicus Curiae 30–36 (same). 

NYTs: “Overlooked No More: Elizabeth Peratrovich, Rights Advocate for Alaskan Natives”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Oral Argument Transcript in Sturgeon v. Frost II

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Background materials on the case here.

Sturgeon v. Frost II Background Materials

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Merits Briefs:

Petitioner’s Brief

States’ Amicus Brief

Respondents’ Brief

Alaska Amicus Brief

National Parks Conservation Association Amicus Brief

Law Professors’ Brief

Alaska Native Subsistence Users Amicus Brief

Reply Brief

Cert Stage Briefs:

Cert Petition

Alaska Amicus Brief in Support of Cert Petition

Federal Brief in Opposition to Cert

Cert Stage Reply

Lower court materials:

Opinion in Sturgeon v. Masica.

Alaska Brief

Enviro Groups Brief

Federal Brief

Mentasta Traditional Village et al Brief

Sturgeon Brief

Materials in Sturgeon v. Frost I:

SCOTUS Opinion

 

Slate: “The Fight for the Right to Eat Seal Blubber”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here: “In Alaskan nursing homes and hospitals, tight federal regulations have meant that the most comforting foods for natives have been labeled illegal. That’s slowly changing.”

Ninth Circuit Decides Sturgeon Hovercraft Matter on Remand from SCOTUS

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the opinion in Sturgeon v. Masica. An excerpt:

John Sturgeon would like to use his hovercraft in a national preserve to reach moose hunting grounds. The State of Alaska is fine with that; the federal government is not. Sturgeon’s case turns on which entity—state or federal—gets to decide the matter. On remand from the Supreme Court, we again conclude that the federal government properly exercised its authority to regulate hovercraft use on the rivers within conservation system units in Alaska.

Briefs:

Alaska Brief

Enviro Groups Brief

Federal Brief

Mentasta Traditional Village et al Brief

Sturgeon Brief

News Profile on Pebble Mine in Alaska

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here, from Project Earth.

Alaska Civil Diversion Agreement with Anvik Tribe in Alaska

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The agreement allows for law enforcement officers in Alaska to refer certain misdemeanor crimes and offenses to participating tribal courts for restorative justice sentencing. It’s the first of its kind agreement in Alaska and the Anvik tribe located in Anvik, AK became the first tribe to enter into this agreement with the State. Please let me know if you would like additional information. Thanks!

The following link is to an article in the local Fairbanks, AK newspaper regarding the Civil Diversion Agreement.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/anvik-tribal-government-able-to-rule-on-low-level-village/article_072cdd02-dafc-11e6-820d-035b3c84695c.html

The following link is to the Civil Diversion Agreement itself on the State of Alaska’s website.

http://law.alaska.gov/pdf/press/170110-CivilDiversionAgreement.pdf

EdWeek: Commentary on Indigenous Ed in Alaska

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is “Alaska Is Failing Its Indigenous Students” by Evon Parker.