Bristol Bay Watershed Cases Languish in the CourtsThe Bristol Bay watershed is a large, sparsely populated area in southwest Alaska that is drained by at least seven rivers. The largest single public landholder in the watershed is the State of Alaska, which, pursuant to the Alaska Statehood Act, selected lands in the region for their resource potential. The largest private landowner is Bristol Bay Native Corporation, created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The area is among the poorest in the state. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): There are 31 Alaska Native villages in the wider Bristol Bay region, 25 of which are located in the Bristol Bay watershed. Fourteen of these communities are within the Nushagak and Kvichak River watersheds, with a total population of 4,337 in 2010. Thirteen of these 14 communities have federally recognized tribal governments and a majority Alaska Native population.
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