Commissioners take wait-and-see on ‘30x30’

Two of the three Perkins County commissioners took a wait-and-see position during their regular meeting on whether to adopt a resolution in opposition of President Biden’s 30 by 30 executive order. 

The goal of the plan is to place 30% of U.S. lands and 30% of U.S. waters protected under federal jurisdiction by 2030.

Prior to discussion on the 30x30 issue, Eric Kamler with Congressman Adrian Smith’s office in Grand Island called in to update commissioners on various Washington topics. 

He told them Rep. Smith is against the 30x30 proposal and the staff has been keeping a close eye on it. 

Kamler said 19% of all lands in the U.S. are already in control of the government, be it national parks, preserves, military bases, etc. 

He said they have been trying to get more information from the Department of the Interior but little is known at this time. 

This is not a fast-moving subject, Kamler said, and even when rules are announced it’s likely litigation will follow. 

He said the Farm Bureau and Farmers Union have strongly voiced their opposition. 

About one-third of the counties in the Third District have adopted resolutions thus far. 

Those kinds of things do get noticed in Washington and the White House, he added. 

Following the call, Commissioner Ron Hagan said he was in favor of adopting the resolution opposing the 30x30 plan. 

Commissioner Steve Tucker questioned whether they were “getting the cart ahead of the horse.” He said that’s been the input he’s received thus far. 

Commissioner Sid Colson said he wants to know what the plan will actually do before taking action. “I want to know the details before I move on,” said.

Hagan said all the concern could be for nothing but noted he supported the resolution and made a motion to adopt it. 

However, the motion didn’t get a second from either Tucker or Colson, killing the motion. 

Commissioners also quizzed Kamler on how counties and municipalities can spend the money they expect to receive from the American Rescue Plan passed as part of COVID-19 relief. 

Kamler said they have been promised those guidelines but haven’t received them.

He expects they may be released in the next two weeks. 

The county has already established a separate account for that money.

The county’s share of those funds will be $565,000.