State and Federal Programs The State and Federal Programs Section provides advice, technical assistance, training, and resources to support communities with community and regional land management and boundary issues, and natural hazard and cultural (language) resilience. Our goal is to empower communities to chart their own futures, increase local resilience and sustainability, and address land management and boundary issues that may be obstacles to community and economic development. Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council Link to webpage The Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council provides recommendations and advice to both the Governor and Legislature on programs, policies, and projects, and to network and advocate in support of the council’s mission. The Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council was created by the second session of the 27th Legislature. The Governor appointed to the council five voting members who are professional language experts and who represent diverse regions of the state. DCRA staff provides support to the council. Assistance to Environmentally Threatened Communities Link to webpage DCRA staff supports environmentally threatened communities in partnership with several Alaska-based state and federal agencies and organizations. Currently, the focus is on the communities identified as highly vulnerable for flood, erosion, permafrost degradation in a 2019 Alaska Statewide Threat Assessment, and the communities most impacted by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok. Staff assists these communities with local planning as well as providing access to the broad range of local government resources DCRA has to offer. Community Resilience Programs Link to webpage DCRA's Community Resilience Programs include several State of Alaska efforts to provide Alaska communities with technical assistance, tools, training, and funding to become healthier, stronger and more resilient to natural hazards. Floodplain Management/National Flood Insurance Program Link to webpage Floodplain management is a program focused on reducing flood damages through resilient community decision-making and implementation of preventive and, when required, corrective measures. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is one part of the floodplain management toolbox. The NFIP provides minimum development standards for preventive and protective measures through improved land use and building practices and encourages communities to evaluate and determine usage of higher standards. DCRA staff coordinates the NFIP in Alaska. Local Boundary Commission Link to webpage The Local Boundary Commission was created by the Constitution of the State of Alaska to ensure that arguments for and against proposals to create or alter municipal governments are analyzed objectively and take area wide and statewide needs into consideration. The commission’s role is to receive, review, and make final decisions on petitions for incorporation of municipalities, reclassification of municipalities, annexation to municipalities, detachment from municipalities, dissolution of municipalities, merger of municipalities, and consolidation of municipalities. A department employee assigned under AS 44.33.020(a)(4) as a member of the commission staff serves as an adviser to the commission. The advisory staff may not act in an advocacy capacity as a petitioner under 3 AAC 110.410. Municipal Lands Trustee Program Link to webpage Section 14(c)(3) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) requires all Native village corporations that receive land under the provisions of Sections 14(a) and (b) of ANCSA to convey certain lands to the existing municipality in the village or, if no municipality exists, to the State in trust for any municipality that may be established in the future. Acceptance of the trust responsibility is found in Alaska Statute 44.33.755, which defines “municipality” as “only first or second class cities incorporated under the laws of the state.” The lands conveyed to the State in trust are called “municipal trust lands.” The role of the Municipal Lands Trustee (MLT) Program, within DCRA, is basically two-fold: 1) Accepting land into trust from Village Corporations, and 2) Managing and administering municipal trust land until the village incorporates as a city. Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) Program Link to webpage Risk MAP is a comprehensive, multi-year process in which FEMA and the State of Alaska work with a local government to identify and gather data on the natural hazard risks affecting the community, assess and analyze those risks, identify actions to reduce risk, and identify resources to implement those actions. The goal of Risk MAP is to increase community resilience by providing quality data and risk assessment tools to local governments, thereby enhancing local understanding of risk to natural hazards, and informing community decisions to take action to reduce risk. DCRA staff coordinates the Risk MAP Program in Alaska. Additional Resources Community Plans Library Planning and Land Management Resources Planning Publications Other DCRA Publications Newtok Planning Group For more information contact: Sally Russell Cox Local Government Specialist 5 / State and Federal Programs Section Manager Division of Community and Regional Affairs Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1650, Anchorage, AK 99501-3569 Phone: (907) 269-4588 Fax: (907) 269-4539 Email: sally.cox@alaska.gov Revised 12/19/2023