Friends of Minnesota
Scientific & Natural Areas
Should the legislature mandate “no net gain of state land” ?
Background:
Currently appropriation language recommended by the Legislative Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) would require the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to sell an acre of land for each acre of land acquired as a Scientific and Natural Area (SNA). This is referred to as “no net gain of State land”. If this is passed into law it may set a precedent for the acquisition of other lands acquired by the DNR. For more background you might read Minnesota legislature waging assault on our vital public lands
and the editor of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer piece titled These Lands are Your Lands.
Our question for Minnesota Environmental Partnership's gubernatorial candidates forum:
"Should the legislature mandate “no net gain of state land” for the acquisition of SNAs with LCCMR funds when lands acquired as SNAs are the most ecologically important lands in the state, targeted by the DNR specifically for their natural resource values, acquired from willing sellers, and SNA acquisition is one of the smallest land purchasing efforts undertaken by the DNR?"
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You can help educate participants at precinct caucuses (Tuesday, Feb. 6) which are scheduled to be held less than two weeks after the candidate forum by offering a resolution on the subject. Below is the background and a draft resolution we suggest.
Background: Currently appropriation language recommended by the Legislative Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) would require the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to sell an acre of land for each acre of land acquired as a Scientific and Natural Area (SNA). This is referred to as “no net gain of state land” legislation. If this is passed into law, it may set an adverse precedent for the acquisition of other lands acquired by the DNR.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The (Green, Independence, MN DFL, Republican) Party opposes “no net gain of state land” legislation, which requires that, for each acre of state land purchased, one acre of state land must be sold.