Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel, Alaska region. It is a

federally recognized tribe This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...

and a governing body for the community of

Bethel, Alaska Bethel ( esu, Mamterilleq) is a city in Bethel Census Area, Alaska, United States. It is the largest community on the Kuskokwim River, located approximately upriver from where the river flows into Kuskokwim Bay. It is also the largest city in ...

History

The Orutsararmiut Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel, Alaska region. It is a

and a governing body for the community of

. Zach Brink served as the ONC executive director from 2011 to 2015. In 2016, Gene Peltola Sr. was the ONC executive director. Peter Evon also served as an ONC executive director before serving in as the Kenaitze Indian Tribe executive director of tribal administration. In the fall of 2018, the ONC received a two-year grant from the

Administration for Community Living The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is headed by the Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, who reports directly to the Secretary of Health and Human ...

to help reduce the harm and maltreatment of

Yup'ik The Yup'ik or Yupiaq (sg & pl) and Yupiit or Yupiat (pl), also Central Alaskan Yup'ik, Central Yup'ik, Alaskan Yup'ik ( own name ''Yup'ik'' sg ''Yupiik'' dual ''Yupiit'' pl; russian: Юпики центральной Аляски), are an I ...

elders. In 2021, the executive director was Mark Springer. Springer was fired in late 2021. On June 28, 2021, the ONC appealed the

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) is the state of Alaska's environmental regulatory agency. The Alaska Legislature established ADEC in 1971, and the agency's responsibilities were transferred from the Alaska Department o ...

's about the

Donlin Gold mine The Donlin Gold Project is a large, undeveloped, refractory gold deposit located north of Crooked Creek, Alaska, on the Kuskokwim River, about northwest of Anchorage. The deposit has proven and probable reserves estimated to be 33.9 million ou ...

's water quality certificate. According to a summer 2021 poll of 300 ONC tribal members, 76% opposed the Donlin Gold mine project, while only 10.5% supported it. The mineral rights for the mine are owned by the

Calista Corporation Calista Corporation (pronounced ) is one of thirteen Alaska Native Regional Corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA) in settlement of aboriginal land claims. Calista was incorporated in Alaska on June 12, 1 ...

, a

Alaska Native corporation The Alaska Native Regional Corporations were established in 1971 when the United States Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) which settled land and financial claims made by the Alaska Natives and provided for the establis ...

the represents many Alaska Native groups including the ONC. In 2021, the ONC received from the

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package or American Rescue Plan, is a economic stimulus bill passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, to sp ...

. Some of the funds were used to provide payments to eligible tribal members. Former executive director Zach Brink resumed the role from August 2, 2021 until late March 2022 when he resigned citing health reasons. In July 2022, Brian Henry became the ONC executive director. In 2022, Walter Jim was serving as the tribal chairman. In July 2022, the ONC endorsed tribal member

Mary Peltola Mary Sattler Peltola (née Sattler; Yup'ik: Akalleq; formerly Kapsner; born August 31, 1973) is an American politician and former tribal judge serving as the U.S. representative from since September 2022. She previously served as a judge on th ...

's campaign for the

2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election The 2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election was held on August 16, 2022. Democrat Mary Peltola won the open seat, thereby becoming the first of her party to win a U.S. House election in Alaska since 1972. Peltola, who is ...

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Native American tribes in Alaska Bethel, Alaska Yupik