A policy history of Alaska oil lands administration, 1953--197

Alaska's diverse cast of competing interests arbitrated many significant differences between 1953 and 1974. This study examines the management of Alaska oil lands. Like most policy histories, it provides an institutional retrospective of past decisions by clarifying the issues faced by decision makers and illuminating the various stages of the policy-making process. Although emphasizing territorial and state efforts, it also investigates the more significant actions initiated by other groups. These constant and sometimes contentious negotiations energized the territory's statehood struggle; facilitated the development and evolution of suitable administrative structures; expanded the Native claims movement; focused the efforts of the environmental community; and provided local residents with a substantial beachhead of economic growth.;While primarily drawn from Alaska's Royalty Litigation Collection, assembled by the Office of the Attorney General as part of its lengthy struggle with the oil industry over the nature, timing, and amount of required royalty payments, this study incorporates other data as well. This includes both primary and secondary material from the Alaska and Polar Regions Collection at the Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks; state records from the Alaska State Archives in Juneau; and federal records from the Alaska regional office of the National Archives in Anchorage.