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State Representative John Ward
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333
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Agreement Reached on Land for Mississippi River Northwoods Project
(ST. PAUL) — The Trust for Public Land recently announced that they have reached an agreement with the Potlatch Corporation to purchase the Mississippi River Northwoods property at the Department of Natural Resources-approved value of $11 million. The purchasing of this property secures approximately 2,000 acres of land and 2.7 miles of waterways on the Mississippi River northeast of Brainerd for multi-recreational use and conservation for future generations.
The Minnesota Legislature, with recommendations from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, passed an Omnibus Legacy Bill appropriating this money. State Representative John Ward (DFL – Brainerd) worked bipartisanly to ensure the funding was included.
The initial House Legacy bill included $7 million for the project. Through Rep. Ward’s work and discussions with members of the Legacy Funding Division, the funding in the final bill went up to the needed $11 million. The funding for this project is coming from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, which was created by voters in 2008 specifically for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of forest, wetland, prairies, and wildlife habitat.
“This is a great achievement that could only have been accomplished with the hard work of many, many people,” said Rep. Ward. “I’m thankful to my legislative colleagues from both sides of the aisle who saw the value in this project and to everyone else who made this possible.
“By purchasing this land, it can be used for a variety of recreational uses and conservation for generations of Minnesotans to come. We are fortunate enough to have one of the greatest states in the nation for outdoor fun and leisure, and this project will only serve to add to that in our beautiful region."
“Representative Ward was critical in gaining support in the House-- giving a colorful and convincing endorsement on the House floor, and working tirelessly with his Democratic and Republican colleagues to get Legacy funds secured,” said Becca Nash of The Trust for Public Land. “This couldn’t have happened without him.”
Crow Wing County must now formally acquire the property by November 30, 2012. The Trust for Public Land and the county are now focused on meeting that deadline.
News Items
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- Assistant Majority Leader Rep. John Ward Sworn-In as Legislative Session Starts - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 2:39PM)
- Rep. John Ward Elected Assistant Majority Leader and Selected to Serve as Vice Chair of Capital Investment Committee - (Posted: 2012-12-19 00:00:00)
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