Please join senior representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for a public listening session on conservation, recreation and reconnecting people to the outdoors. The session will be held Monday, August 9, from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. in Concord, New Hampshire.
This past April at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors, President Obama signed a memorandum establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to develop a conservation agenda worthy of the 21st century and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. The President understands that protecting and restoring the lands and waters that we love and reconnecting people to the outdoors must happen at the local level.
Therefore, President Obama directed the principal leaders of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to travel across the country to listen and learn from people directly involved in finding grassroots solutions to conserving our lands and waters and reconnecting Americans to the outdoors. The President indicated that the sessions should engage the full range of interested groups, including tribal leaders, farmers and ranchers, sportsmen, community park groups, foresters, youth groups, businesspeople, educators, state and local governments, and recreation and conservation groups.
Private working forests play a critical role in providing for green markets, rural economic development, habitat for animals and birds, places where people go for refuge and wonder, and responding to climate change. This public listening session and discussion is an opportunity for leaders of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to hear from you about the challenges and opportunities facing working forests on private lands and about solutions for building a21st-century private working forest land conservation and recreation agenda and for reconnecting people with the outdoors. Here are the details:
Listening Session and Discussion Information
Include in your email your primary area of interest by noting your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice of the Concurrent Breakout Listening Sessions listed below. We will make every effort to accommodate everyone. Please also let us know if you have any special needs.
In the event you are unable to participate in person, please submit your comments and stories via the America’s Great Outdoors website at http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/.
If you have questions, please contact Tiffany Benna at 603.536.6241, or tbenna@fs.fed.us.
We hope you will participate and look forward to hearing from you.
Choice of Concurrent Breakout Listening Sessions:
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For more information visit:
www.agwt.org/events/2010/2010NH_DES_Program.pdf
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Special thanks to VHB, Inc. for sponsoring our morning coffee service!
Conservation Projects from the Landowner's perspective- Motives, tax advantages and concerns, Tom Masland, Esq. Ransmeier and Spellman
Wetland Mitigation with the Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Fund, Lori Sommer, Mitigation Coordinator DES
Winnepesaukee River Watershed Article
Prime Wetlands: Designation and Beyond, Sandy Crystall, Sr. Resources Manager DES
Presentation (4+ MB file- not for dialup connections)
Wetlands 101: Intro to Wetlands and Permitting, Sandy Crystall, Sr. Resources Manager DES
Presentation (4+ MB file- not for dialup connections)
Important changes to RSA 36-A took effect on January 1st, 2009.
NHACC, the Forest Society, The Nature Conservancy, the Local Government Center and others have been working together to find the best solution for clarifying whether it is lawful for a conservation commission to make a donation to a land protection project without taking an interest in the property. SB381 originally sought to allow for the election of conservation commissioners. The bill was quickly amended in the Senate and further amended in the House; each body passed their own version. The Senate then concurred with the House version.
In the spring of 2008, The New Hampshire Legislature passed a bill (SB 381) that authorizes towns to contribute conservation funds to projects sponsored by private conservation groups (such as land trusts) without having to hold a legal interest in property. The new law resolves a grey area in the law that had long divided municipal attorneys. Specifically, the bill adds language to the state statute governing town conservation commissions (RSA 36-A), authorizing them to make contributions from their conservation funds to “qualified organizations,” for acquisitions of property interests (fee or easement) held by the organizations, and/or transaction costs related to these purchases. The bill also adds language to statute declaring town expenditures to such organizations as a public purpose because they protect the state’s natural resources. There is also a section of the new law that specifically allows towns to purchase property outside of the town boundaries.
Conservation Commissions who wish to have the ability to contribute to land conservation projects without holding an interest in real estate, and/or be able to expend funds on land outside of town boundaries need to ask their governing bodies (again, boards of selectmen or aldermen, city or town councils) NOW to include one or both of these warrant articles on the 2009 warrant. Please be aware that this warrant article language is specified in the changes to RSA 36-A. If you prefer to change this language, consult your municipal attorney or other legal counsel.
"Shall the town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(b) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds for contributions to 'qualified organizations' for the purchase of property interests, or facilitating transactions related thereto, where the property interest is to be held by the qualified organization and the town will retain no interest in the property?"
This article must be passed by the legislative body (town meeting, town council, city council, mayor and council, mayor and board of aldermen) after January 1, 2009.
Purchasing and caring for conservation land has substantial costs in money, time and responsibility. There are times when partnering with another organization such as a land trust may be the most efficient use of your conservation dollars.
Conservation commissions are NOT required to get governing body or town meeting approval before specific expenditures are made. The law requires a public hearing before specific expenditures are made. If you are taking a property interest you will still need to get governing body approval.
"Shall the town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(a) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds to purchase interests in land outside the boundaries of our municipality, subject to the approval of the local governing body?"
This article must be passed by the legislative body (town meeting, town council, city council, mayor and council, mayor and board of aldermen) after January 1, 2009.
Important natural resources such as drinking water supplies, aquifers, wildlife corridors, etc. often cross municipal boundaries. Working across municipal boundaries often provides the opportunity for communities to work together protect the whole resource.
Conservation commissions are required to get approval from the governing body (boards of selectmen or aldermen, city or town councils) before expending funds.
SB 381 goes into effect on January 1, 2009. This means communities that currently use conservation funds to support land conservation projects, and wish to continue to do so, must pass the appropriate warrant article(s) in 2009. It also means that there will be a “blackout period” for some communities between January 1, 2009 and spring town meeting when expenditures for conservation projects that do not include the town holding an interest in real estate will not be possible. If your commission has a pending project any existing agreements may be completed as long as the contributions happen before the end of 2008 or after the appropriate warrant has been passed.
If you have an Open Space Committee that is separate from your commission you should let them know of these important changes!
Full text of the bill can be found at: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2008/SB0381.html
Special thanks to Rep. Tim Butterworth who presented a House floor amendment which successfully removed the requirement for governing body approval for each expenditure to a qualified organization!