Our Council members recognized that CIRI has not been really supporting the Tribal governments in their area.  We tried to contact them to have a meeting with us, with no response.  Therefore, we decided to submit a tax invoice to CIRI for FY 2011 for $500,000.  Rather than sit down and discuss this issue with us, CIRI has submitted a lawsuit asking the court to determine if we do have the power to tax them.

Chickaloon Native Village, as a federally recognized Tribe, has the power to tax due to the Indian Tribal Governmental Tax Status Act of 1982.  This is an annual income tax on our native regional corporation.  This has nothing to do with land, property tax, or the Venetie Case.

We had hoped that this could be resolved internally between Chickaloon and CIRI.  It was not our intention to discuss this issue in public, but when CIRI submitted the lawsuit, it became public knowledge and attracted the attention of the media.  Our ideal outcome would be that CIRI steps up and truly supports its Tribal governments, so that we can continue to provide crucial government services instead of trying to drag us through the courts.

If you have any further questions, please contact Doug Wade.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17^th, 2011

Kirby Spangler

Castle Mountain Coalition

(907) 746-3733

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Penny Westing

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council

(907) 745-0749

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Jeremiah Millen

Friends of Mat-Su

(907) 746-0130

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 Opposition to Mat Valley Coal refuses to be silenced by Mayor DeVilbiss.

Palmer, Alaska – On Tuesday, October 18^th at 5:30 PM, as the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly prepares to swear in two newly elected members, residents opposed to Mat Valley coal mining will hold a rally outside the Borough building in Palmer.   Many of those who will be in attendance are folks who were not allowed to speak at the September 6th assembly meeting when Mayor DeVilbiss curtailed public testimony on his controversial resolution in favor of Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc.  These disenfranchised folks intend to have their voices heard during the audience participation section of Tuesday's meeting.

Mat-Su Borough to Vote in Support Controversial Coal Mine

Palmer, Alaska – On Tuesday, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough mayor will introduce a resolution in support of Usibelli Coal Mine Inc.’s (UCM) controversial Wishbone Hill project.

For Immediate Release
Chickaloon Village Traditional Council Appeal Forces DNR to Withdraw Jonesville Coal Mine Decision

July 5, 2011

In response to appeals filed by the Chickaloon Village Traditional Council (CVTC), Castle Mountain Coalition, Pacific Environment, and other community groups, on Friday, July 1, 2011, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced it would withdraw a Decision allowing Ranger Alaska, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the foreign mining company Black Range Minerals, Ltd.) to operate a surface strip and underground coal mine in the headwaters of critical salmon habitat.