Preliminary comments on this bill:

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1. Lines 1.15 to 1.22: Greatly impedes conversion to oak savannah;

2. Lines 2.27 to 2.29: Contrary to this language, there is no agreement by the Sand Dunes State Forest Advisory Group regarding the upland habitat acreage goals

3. Lines 3.5 to 3.11: Prescribed burns must receive approval of 90% of the residents within ¼ mile; a doctor’s note can stop a prescribed burn.

4. Lines 3.24 to 3.25: does not define “recreational opportunities”; will result in more forest fragmentation;

5. In general, greatly reduces the DNR’s forest management discretion;

6. Hijacks the current, pending Sand Dunes State Forest planning process, that has already cost the taxpayers over $100,000. 

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HF 1560 will be scheduled for hearing very soon before the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee, chaired by Rep. Dan Fabian. Here a list of the committee members: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/committeemembers.asp?comm=90008  If you live in any of committee members’ district, please contact them ASAP and ask that they vote “NO.”  Thank you.

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Senators Mathews, Kiffmeyer, and Benson introduced a companion bill --

S.F. No. 1440: A bill for an act relating to natural resources; establishing forest management plan for Sand Dunes State Forest; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 89.  It was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance.  The link to the committee membership is: https://www.senate.mn/committees/committee_bio.php?cmte_id=3094&ls= If you live in any of senate committee members’ district, please contact them ASAP and ask that they vote “NO.”  Thank you.