Public Hearing Announced for a Proposal to Rescind the Nonrural Determination for Ketchikan

For Immediate Release:
January 8, 2024

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) scheduled a teleconference only public hearing to receive additional public testimony on a proposal to change the rural status of Ketchikan.  

This proposal, submitted by the Ketchikan Indian Community, requests that the Board rescind the nonrural determination for Ketchikan, Alaska, changing the designation of Ketchikan to a rural community. If this proposal is adopted, the permanent residents of Ketchikan will be considered rural residents and therefore, would be eligible to harvest resources on Federal public lands and waters under Federal regulations in their region.  

The teleconference only public hearing is scheduled be held from 6:00–8:00 p.m. on February 6, 2024 (or until conclusion of public comments). The public is welcome and encouraged to participate by calling the telephone number provided below:

         Teleconference toll-free: (833) 436-1163, Conference ID: 147 834 920#

A summary of comments received during the public hearing will be forwarded to the Board for consideration when it acts on the nonrural determination proposal for Ketchikan at its Winter 2025 regulatory meeting. Further information on that Board meeting will be provided through news releases, radio and newspaper ads, the program webpage (https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/board), and social media.  

Members of the public may also provide oral or written comments on this nonrural determination proposal at the Southeast Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council during its fall 2024 meeting in Ketchikan, October 22-24, 2024.  

Additional information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

Missing out on the latest Federal subsistence issues? If you’d like to receive emails and notifications on the Federal Subsistence Management Program you may subscribe for regular updates by emailing fws-fsb-subsistence-request@lists.fws.gov.

View full NDP-25-01 public hearing announcement here 

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