<< Back to Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Alaska Congressman Don Young today introduced legislation which would allow the Ketchikan Gateway Borough to assume the management of the Connell Lake Watershed.

            The legislation – “The Connell Lake Watershed Protection Act” (H.R. 6628) – would allow the Borough to assume management of the watershed by allowing the U.S. Forest to apply the Recreation and Public Purposes Act to the watershed – a process needed to transfer the management responsibility.

            “By doing this, the local government - the Borough - can manage and protect the watershed which is now owned by the Forest Service,” Young said.  “While the Forest Service can manage this area, it is better that the local government has control of its own watershed since that watershed is located within the Borough’s boundaries.

“This is a small area – just 880 acres consisting of a natural lake which was enlarged by a dam constructed in the 1950’s when the area was used by the now defunct Ketchikan Pulp Company.  The company needed a water source and constructed a small dam to enlarge the already existing, natural Connell Lake.  That lake has since served as a water source for the Ketchikan area and the Borough wishes to own and maintain the lake and the surrounding area.

“If Ketchikan were not completely contained within the Tongass National Forest, there would be an easy solution, the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, which is specifically designed to solve problems like these.  If these lands were in the public domain in the Lower 48 states, the Bureau of Land Management would simply process a deed under that Act to allow the Borough obtain ownership of the land subject to a reverter if the land is not used for either recreation of public purposes.

“However, the Recreation and Public Purposes Act does not apply to the National Forest System.   So, Congress must approve the use of the Act for this purpose.  This is not an unprecedented situation and Congress has passed similar legislation in the past.  For example, in The Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 (P. L 105-263), Congress approved a bill to allow this Act to be used in both southern Nevada an in the Tahoe Basin which lands became part of the National Forest System.

“I ask only that this bill be passed to allow the local government to use the Act just as it would in Nevada or any other western state.  The Borough is well able to handle this management and will maintain the current management which is as a recreational site and for water source and watershed protection.  The full terms and conditions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act would apply - no exceptions are being asked.”