A Bill to Transfer White Earth State Forest Land

A new bill has come to my attention, and the ramifications are concerning. I believe the public deserves to know about it before the bill goes anywhere. Senator Mary Kunesh has recently introduced a bill that proposes the transfer of White Earth State Forest land to the White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa.

This proposal transfers a large chunk of land to the tribe. Those who have already heard about this bill have spoken out. There is concern across the district. I have heard from dozens of Tribal members and descendants, as well as other local landowners in opposition to this transfer. The bill does not state that the land will have to remain accessible to non-members if the transfer goes through. That means this land may become inaccessible to folks across the state who have enjoyed those lands for generations, and there is nothing in the bill that will allow non-members to continue hunting, hiking or snowmobiling as they have for years. It will also allow for transfer of School Trust Lands and County lands, which are used to provide tax revenue for local serves like schools, roads, and other services.

The bill states that the Commissioner of Natural Resources must create a Transfer Task Force by October 1, 2024. This date indicates a clear intent to push this forward as quickly as possible. The same scenario was used last year. Minnesota Democrats stepped in with legislation to transfer the Upper Sioux Agency State Park so that the land could be transferred to the Upper Sioux Community. This was done without any real input from affected communities, and a lot of folks were unhappy with how it played out. Before any of these proposals move there should be local discussion. Open and transparent meetings in affected areas should be held.

Because the area is currently a state forest, everyone can hunt on the land and use it for many purposes. This includes members of the tribes, as well as the general population. This can all be done currently, and the state maintains the land. But if this bill passes, the responsibility to maintain the lands will now fall on the tribes. There’s also a clear concern that this change will make it harder for family members of tribal members to have access to these areas. White Earth has a diverse population. Most and maybe all members have family that are not enrolled and this transfer could prevent those family members from accessing these lands. I’ve heard from tribal members, family members, and descendants that are against this change.

There is also considerable privately owned properties. There could be issues with access to private property. This should be troubling to everyone, because of the potential harm this may cause down the line. We are setting a bad precedent. I also worry about the division this could cause in our local area without providing any real benefit to members.

I want the public to be aware of this bill before it moves. Feedback will be collected. If you have thoughts on this bill, please reach out to me at [email protected].