County’s anti-30x30 resolution unveiled for comment
Staff writer
A hearing for a proposed county resolution against a federal program brought 23 residents Monday evening.
The resolution has been pushed by commissioner Kent Becker, who first heard about the “30x30” program from a speaker at a Patriots for Liberty meeting who described it as “a land grab.”
At Monday’s hearing, only five people spoke. The five have been on both sides of the issue since April.
Commission chairman Dave Mueller told audience members the hearing was not to be a back-and-forth discussion, and they should not expect answers.
Commission candidate Clarke Dirks said that as a former federal employee, he was aware that government agencies that recruit easements are notorious for transferring control of the land to the federal government.
Next was Steve Schmidt. In the past, Schmidt has spoken in opposition of wording discussed by commissioners.
On Monday, he expressed satisfaction with the final wording.
“I thank the commission for taking the time and effort to obtain staff and public input, and for going through various drafts of the resolution after the 30x30 issue arose last April,” Schmidt said.
Daryl Enos was the third speaker. He suggested that an American Stewards of Liberty web page would be a good resource for commissioners.
Brandi Smith read from an anti-30x30 leaflet, and Patriots leader Rose Davidson said she supported the resolution.
The draft says commissioners oppose the program, which seeks to preserve 30% of the nation’s land and water by 2030.
It opposes designation of Marion County land as part of the program through permanent conservation easement or federal designation that limits development and productive use of resources under the land.
It supports continued private ownership of land in the county and supports state laws governing water rights and water use and maintains that any land acquired by the program should be acquired only from willing landowners with compensation equal to the fair market value of the land.
The draft reserves the right to analyze and consider the impact of each permanent conservation easement executed within the county.
Copies are to be sent to the U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas attorney general, and other relevant federal and state agencies.
During the commission’s regular meeting Monday, Dirks spoke about another topic of recent discussion — Sunflower Wind farm’s plan to expand into four southwest townships near Goessel.
Dirks said the county’s most recent comprehensive plan, completed in 2015, was to be reviewed and updated every five to seven years.
The planning commission was tasked Sept. 9 with reviewing and making any needed adjustments to the county’s comprehensive plan before accepting any proposals for conditional-use permits to expand the wind farm. A one-year moratorium on wind-farm expansion was imposed on that day.