ANILCA's Legacy

ANILCA was the most controversial of the major land acts, becoming a national battle between forces supporting land conservation and those prioritizing economic development. However, while these same tensions continue today, as evidenced by recent fights over the development of the Pebble Mine project and drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve, support for the ANILCA has increased with the passage of time.

Most Alaskans, including many former critics, now recognize the value of ANILCA. The act's conservation protections have led to strong economic benefits for Alaska. Tourism and outdoor recreation are now a major part of the Alaskan economy. In 2018, nearly 3 million people visited national parks in Alaska, spending $1.3 billion and supporting nearly 20,000 jobs. 

Seward is an example of the change in attitude. In the late 70s, many residents in Seward, like most Alaska communities, opposed Congress transferring huge amounts of land into protected status and closing it to development. In a 1980 editorial, the Seward Phoenix Log newspaper complained of the federal government's action, "Many if not most Alaskans do not believe their state has the sovereignty, or shares the rights, of the other states."