Land

Land Projects

Preservation, education and cooperation

In addition to primary land management activities, the BBNC Land Department operates varied programs that provide information, access, or services related to our lands.

Land Access and Investment Opportunities

Commercial Land Use Permits – BBNC shareholders are permitted to access our ANCSA lands. Non-shareholders can request access through use permits. Your guide or lodge may have already purchased a long-term use permit, so check with them first. Not accessing lands through a permitted guide or lodge? Get details about permits for: Hunting near Ivanof Bay, Fishing the Nushagak.

Bristol Bay Fuels Wharf Facility – Bristol Bay Fuels, a subsidiary of BBNC, owns a wharf facility on the western side of the Dillingham harbor. Use of this facility to ship materials, equipment and freight into and out of Dillingham is a lower cost option than using the city dock. It is used by many area residents for loading equipment for fishing operations. The wharf facility also has limited availability for temporary cargo or equipment storage, large vessel haulout and storage, and maintenance and repair work. See Wharf Facility Rules and Rates. If you have any questions about the facility, please contact Bristol Bay Fuels at (907) 842-1234.

Roads, Infrastructure and Energy Projects – Within a Responsible Resource Development and Fish First framework, the Land Department is committed to finding opportunities that improve the way of life for residents of Bristol Bay. This includes support for projects that strengthen local infrastructure and provide more affordable access to energy. Examples of projects with BBNC support include:

  • Road Interties – BBNC supports interties in the region that will help communities with economic benefits regarding energy, health and safety and overall transportation. Support comes in the form of regional studies to assess development prospects.
  • Renewable Energy – Multiple wind and hydroelectric projects are ongoing in Bristol Bay. Support from BBNC ranges from land sales and easement donations to providing technical support.
  • Transportation Infrastructure (roads, airports, ports) – BBNC encourages regional infrastructure improvements that will benefit the region and have support of affected communities. Assistance from BBNC can come in the form of in-kind engineering and/or project management, community outreach, donations or sales of rock and gravel, site control, and letters of support.

BIA TEDC and EMDP Grants – The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) and Energy and Mineral Development Program (EMDP) grant programs offer financial and technical assistance for planning energy projects on Native corporation lands. BBNC has been the recipient of funding from both programs and deployed that funding in support of Bristol Bay energy projects and initiatives. The Land Department used EMDP funding to assess a potential geothermal resource at Togiak Tuya. The final report is available here.

Land Projects

Before Bristol Bay

The Before Bristol Bay storybook gives readers an understanding of what original names did, how they were lost, and why it’s important to preserve and use them. Illustrated with beautiful pictures of the Bristol Bay region, the storybook details how the Native place names of the Bristol Bay region were replaced by Russian and English names and how BBNC and others are working to bring back and preserve the original Yup’ik, Dena’ina and Alutiiq place names in the region.

Bristol Bay Online! Website

Native place names are intrinsic to the cultural legacy of Bristol Bay. Our Bristol Bay Online! place names map documents and celebrates that heritage. Click on hundreds of place names throughout the region to hear their pronunciations and learn about their origins. Check land status, geographic features and more. At Bristol Bay Online!, you can also learn how to collect and contribute additional place names to this living archive.

Bristol Bay Online! Mobile App

BBNC’s Land Department has released a free mobile app to support the mission of its place name project and allow access to a wealth of knowledge about Bristol Bay place names…right on the iPhone. Users can view maps, find place names in multiple languages, hear pronunciations, bookmark favorites, take quizzes, and even submit their own place names information.

Pebble Watch

Pebble Watch

BBNC is committed to keeping shareholders informed about the proposed Pebble mine. The Land Department’s Pebble Watch program has provided impartial, educational information and updates since 2010. Pebble watch is your resource for scientific reports, permitting guidelines, and links to public input opportunities related to the proposed mine.