SF 2222

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                             A resolution 
  1.2             memorializing Minnesota's Congressional Delegation to 
  1.3             authorize an increase in the existing Boundary Waters 
  1.4             Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) reservation fee to be 
  1.5             allocated to Minnesota's Permanent School Fund.  
  1.6      
  1.7      WHEREAS, at the time of statehood, land commonly referred 
  1.8   to as school trust land was granted to the State of Minnesota 
  1.9   and constitutionally accepted for the purpose of producing 
  1.10  income for the state's permanent school fund; 
  1.11     WHEREAS, approximately 87,000 acres of state-owned school 
  1.12  trust lands are located within that portion of the Superior 
  1.13  National Forest that has been designated by Congress as the 
  1.14  Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness; 
  1.15     WHEREAS, the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness is 
  1.16  protected for its remote, pristine, and unique character, and 
  1.17  therefore revenue generation from school trust lands within the 
  1.18  wilderness is limited; 
  1.19     WHEREAS, protection of our natural and undeveloped public 
  1.20  lands is overwhelmingly supported by the citizens of this state, 
  1.21  and therefore the goal of preservation for the unique wilderness 
  1.22  character of these lands is a priority; 
  1.23     WHEREAS, a 1998 Legislative Audit concluded, "DNR should 
  1.24  continue to pursue compensation to the PSF for the trust land in 
  1.25  the BWCAW;" NOW, THEREFORE, 
  2.1      BE IT RESOLVED by the legislature of the State of Minnesota 
  2.2   that Congress is requested to enact an increase of $3 in the 
  2.3   existing Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness reservation fee 
  2.4   to be allocated to Minnesota's Permanent School Fund. 
  2.5      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government is 
  2.6   requested to work with the State of Minnesota to reach agreement 
  2.7   on a permanent solution that allows the State to fulfill its 
  2.8   constitutional obligation with respect to the school trust land 
  2.9   in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  
  2.10     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the 
  2.11  State of Minnesota is directed to prepare copies of this 
  2.12  resolution and transmit them to Minnesota's Senators and 
  2.13  Representatives in Congress and Jim Sanders, Supervisor of the 
  2.14  Superior National Forest.