Land Grab - South Dakota & Nebraska Land Owners Urged to Comment on Proposed Conservation Area

Media Release

September 23, 2013

For more information:  Senator Dan Lederman, [email protected], (712) 251-1992

South Dakota Land Owners Urged to Comment on Proposed Conservation Area

The Federal Government is proposing purchasing 1700,000 acres of privately held property in South Dakota and Nebraska under the Land Protection Plan (LPP) for the Niobrara Confluence and Ponca Bluffs Conservation Area.  Citizens have until September 30, 2013 to voice their opinion about this threat to private property.

South Dakota State Senator Dan Lederman encourages private property owners in South Dakota to read about the Niobrara Confluence and Ponca Bluffs Conservation Area, http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=40350, which impacts private property owners in south central and southeast South Dakota and northeast Nebraska. 

“Viable agricultural land and taxable private property is targeted in this conservation area.   Ag producers, taxpayers, and private property owners in this area should pay attention.  Individuals impacted by this Federal action have until September 30, 2013 to comment on the Federal Government’s plans,” said Senator Lederman.

Please voice your opinion at this link:  http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=52636

“Our Federal Government has failed to manage the public land wisely it already has under its control.  I do not believe that we should give them more authority over our private property until they can manage the land and waterways we already expect them to manage,” said Senator Lederman.

In the September 22, 2013 Argus Leader Scott VanderWal, president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, stated “We certainly respect the right of individual landowners to do what they wish with their land,” he said. “It’s something people might want to look at.”

Still, VanderWal said the farm group prefers allowing farmers to continue working the land, such as cattle farmers using it for grazing, rather than taking it out of production altogether. He also opposed the federal government purchasing more land.

“We have some heartburn going on over that type of thing. We think the federal government owns enough land and it really should be kept in the hand of private landowners,” VanderWal said.

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