The IBLA finally got their website back up on line after being down for months due to the cyber security break-ins during December of 2020 and January of 2021.
When I was Alaska Cadastral Chief 2009-2017, I approved 24,600 MILES of survey, containing 14,248,420 acres of land in 1,910 survey records (mix of plats with field notes, and plat-only plats).?ÿ Acreage is about the size of West Virginia, and nearly 4% of the landmass of Alaska.?ÿ ?ÿOut of all of that, there were 3 protests of the surveys I approved.?ÿ All three had the protests denied, two were appealed to the IBLA.?ÿ The one appeal was a slam dunk affirm, the appellants were really trying to protest the adjoining Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act 14(h)1 historic site application approval, not the survey of the site itself.?ÿ ?ÿThis case referenced above had the protest denied (I played major role in formulating the protest dismissal decision).?ÿ ?ÿIt was appealed after I retired on Jefferson's birthday in 2017. Its a 52 page decision, but some very interesting reading I think and insight to the IBLA strategy.?ÿ?ÿ
I did a presentation on protest and appeals of federal surveys for the Mentoring Mondays group on May 17, right before I went to Baja for some awesome flyfishing of big game saltwater fish.?ÿ You can watch the presentation that Trent Keenen hosts up on YouTube at Week 32: Protest and appeal protest from the State of Alaska - YouTube?ÿ ?ÿThe video is 1 hour and 22 minutes, so budget some time.?ÿ There is a LOT of really good presentations on Mentoring Mondays, I would encourge you to look at all of the volunteered presentations, and join in on upcoming one.?ÿ?ÿ
The IBLA decision is here if you want to read it first: 196IBLA155.pdf (doi.gov)
I will be going out of the country again on Wednesday, but will try to check in here when I can to join in any discussion it might raise.?ÿ ?ÿ
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Thanks Mike!
Safe travels!
