House passes omnibus lands bill

After an amendment that substituted its own language, the House passed SF1406, the omnibus lands bill, 128-0 on Wednesday. It allows the state to meet its conservation agenda and goals by approving certain land management transactions.

Rep. Tom Hackbarth

Rep. Tom Hackbarth (R-Cedar) offered the DEA1429 amendment that replaced the language in SF1406 with language from HF1429 and it was approved on a voice vote.

“This is the traditional, non-controversial lands bill from the DNR, I would urge a green vote,” Hackbarth said.

St. Croix Boys Camp

Most of the parcels in the bill are fairly small, less than one acre in size, but one is much larger. An 81-acre parcel of forestry land in Pine County is included and has been for sale for a number of years.

However, there have so far been no takers for the land, which borders the Lower Tamarack River and includes the site of the former Wilder Foundation’s St. Croix Boys Camp. Because there are unoccupied buildings in a remote location, the Department of Natural Resources is seeking authorization to sell the land for less than market value. The DNR has said the buildings onsite are in fair to poor condition.

The land sales and conveyances are in the following counties:

• Beltrami County
• Carlton County
• Cass County
• Crow Wing County
• Dakota County
• Goodhue County
• Hennepin County
• Hubbard County
• Lake County
• Martin County
• Pine County     
• Rice County
• St. Louis County
• Todd County
• Washington County
• Winona County

The bill now heads back to the Senate, where Sen. Foung Hawj (DFL-St. Paul) is the bill’s sponsor, for concurrence.