News Updates
KNRC Provides Testimony Concerning the 30×30 and National Heritage Area Initiatives Before Special Committee
December 9, 2021 — KNRC’s Incoming Executive Director Tracey Barton provided testimony to a Kansas Special Legislative Committee on the Biden Administration’s America the Beautiful (30×30) program and the Kansas-Nebraska National Heritage Area (NHA) initiatives. Live testimony may be viewed here.
The America the Beautiful initiative is responsive to President Biden’s Executive Order 14008 provision to place at least 30% of the nation’s lands and waters in formal conservation before the end of 2030. This a step toward an eventual goal of placing 50% of the nation’s lands and waters in conservation before the end of 2050, a goal established internationally as part of the NGO-driven Half Earth project.
The Kansas-Nebraska National Heritage Area initiative is another program that has caused a great deal of concern among Kansas counties, businesses, and landholders. it would include 23 Nebraska and 26 Kansas counties in its footprint.
Executive Director Jim Carlson briefed KNRC member counties on both issues at KNRC’s Policy Committee meeting in Dodge City. The members in attendance voted unanimously to take a stand opposing both initiatives.
Proposed Lesser Prairie Chicken Habitat Conservation Plan Creates Possible Impacts to Oil and Gas Industry
February 11, 2022 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced availability of a draft habitat conservation plan (HCP) and draft environmental assessment (EA) covering potential impacts to the Lesser prairie-chicken (LPC) from oil and gas development in the Great Plains in the Federal Register of February 11, 2022. A public comment period on the proposal is now open through March 14, 2022.
If approved, the HCP will cover all activities associated with oil and gas development and operations throughout the LPC’s range in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. The HCP imposes fees on oil and gas developers in exchange for a permit in the event the LPC is listed. FWS plans to announce their final decision before June 1, 2022.
KNRC will prepare substantive comments to the record for the HCP proposal. Please review the maps, associated costs, and the FWS Questions and Answers: Lesser Prairie-Chicken Oil and Gas Energy Draft Habitat Conservation Plan for LPC Conservation, LLC for more detailed information.
Senator Moran Introduces Bill to Designate the Chisholm and Western National Historic Trails
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 — Today Senator Jerry Moran Introduced S. 1112, A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Chisholm National Historic Trail and the Western National Historic Trail, and for other purposes. In the House, Representative Ron Estes introduced a House companion bill, H.R. 2512. These bills replace those introduced in November 2020 (S. 4905 and H.R. 8771). Official text for the House version has not yet been published.
The proposed trails would extend through 22 Kansas counties, and segments would be present in 78 counties through portions of four states.
In 2009 Congress authorized a NEPA feasibility study, and in 2016 the National Park Service (NPS) issued a finding of no significant impact and proposed designating two NHTs as a single administrative unit. The final feasibility study and environmental assessment were not transmitted to Congress until mid-2019.
If Congress designates the proposed NHTs, NPS must complete a comprehensive management plan (CMP) within two years of designation. NPS Director’s Order (DO) 45 requires the CMP to “… identify the minimum level of regulation necessary to protect the resources and attributes …” that warranted designation.
KNRC has been monitoring S. 1112 and H.R. 2512. Staff reported on the NHT proposal to member counties in late summer of 2020 and provided a webinar to members and other key parties. While improvements beneficial to property owners have been made to the legislation, a statutory “no net loss” provisions may be necessary to ensure that donated lands removed from county tax rolls are compensated under the federal Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILT) system. KNRC has currently not taken a position on S. 1112 or H.R. 2512.