Minchumina Natives, Inc. v. United States Department Of Interior

51 F.3d 220 MINCHUMINA NATIVES, INC., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, Defendant-Appellee, and State of Alaska; Minchumina Homeowners Association, Defendants-Intervenors-Appellees. No. 93-35841. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Aug. 3, 1994. Decided March 30, 1995. Michael J. Walleri, Tanana Chiefs Conference, Anchorage, AK, for plaintiff-appellant. Albert M. Ferlo, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Washington, DC, for defendant-appellee. John T. Baker, Asst. Atty. Gen., Anchorage, AK, for State defendants-intervenors-appellees. Heather H. Grahame, Bogle & Gates, Anchorage, AK, for Minchumina Homeowners Ass'n defendant-intervenor-appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. Before: PREGERSON, CANBY, and BOOCHEVER, Circuit Judges. CANBY, Circuit Judge. 1 Minchumina Natives, Inc. ("MNI"), a group of seven Alaska Natives claiming to reside near Lake Minchumina, Alaska, seeks recognition as a "Native group" under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), 43 U.S.C. Secs. 1601-1629 . MNI can qualify as a "Native group" only if its Native members "comprise a majority of the residents of…