Final Minutes
Land Committee Meeting

The May 19, 1998, meeting of the Land Committee was called to order by its Co-Chairmen, Mr. Jim Lundgren and Dr. Joe Jeffrey at 7: 10 p.m. A sign-in sheet recorded attendance. The Chairman informed the body that Suzie Rowe of Lexington was appointed acting secretary.

Mr. Lundgren read the minutes of the Land Committee meeting of April 15, 1998. No corrections or amendments were made to the minutes and they were approved as read.

The next order of business was a report by Mr. Lundgren of his presentation to the Governance Committee.

Subcommittee reports began with the Information and Education Subcommittee. Mr. Lundgren noted that the Governance Committee had accepted the charter of the Outreach Committee. The Outreach Committee will generally act as a clearinghouse for the Governance Committee in reviewing materials that are to be disseminated to the public.

In other business, work continues by Central Platte Natural Resources District to compile an expanded list of landowners and Operators within three miles either side of the Platte River in their District.

Mr. Larry Wells provided a report for die Mapping Subcommittee. Mr. Wells has been working with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and their Geographic Information System mapping products to score Nebraska Public Power District's Cottonwood Ranch Property using draft habitat criteria. Results of the test scoring will be presented at the June Land Committee meeting. Committee discussions supported involving additional Land Committee personnel in a detailed evaluation process and incorporation of an onsite assessment. Mr. Mark Czaplewska distributed information developed as a result of questions at the previous Land Committee meeting which provided a rough estimate of lands owned, leased or under casement by various public agencies and private environmental groups along the central Platte River. The estimates indicate that over 25,600 acres are currently acquired by the specified entities. It was noted that ownership or the holding of land rights by these groups should not be interpreted to mean that all acres inventoried are now managed for endangered species or would all ultimately be included in a proposed Program.

Mr. Don Batie gave a report for the Habitat Criteria Subcommittee. Mr. Batie discussed his presentation of the Land Committee's "Recommendation of Criteria for Program Habitat Conservation" (Recommendation) to the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee is reviewing the document and is to provide comment. Mr. Batie noted some reluctance on the part of the Governance Committee to accept the recommended points system instead of direct counting of land acres as a Program goal. After considerable discussion, it was moved and seconded that the Land Committee adhere to its support of the points system documented in the Recommendation and report that support to the Governance Committee. The motion carried. It is felt that the system significantly complimented the adaptive management approach, would provide incentive for acquisition of the highest quality lands first, and would better provide for management for higher quality habitat. The Committee discussed a comment that suggested adding the words "property managed" before mention of sand and gravel mining operations in the Recommendation. The suggestion was rejected and the Recommendation language remains unchanged from that presented to the Governance Committee. Mr. Batie noted support for test scoring of the Cottonwood Ranch in an effort to assess the real-world functionality of the approach. Mr. Batie was thanked for his excellent presentation to the Governance Committee.

Co-Chair Roger Bauer gave the Third Party Economic Impacts Subcommittee report. Mr. Bauer Introduced Dr. Pay Supalla (Ag Economist with the University of Nebraska) who distributed a draft "Scope of Work for Land Committee Third Party Impacts." The draft Scope of Work lays out proposed work to be conducted by a consultant in association with evaluating beneficial or adverse impacts to third parties resulting from impacts of the Cooperative Agreement and proposed Program. The draft Scope of Work was reviewed and written comments were solicited. Once finalized, and assuming finances are available, the Scope of work would be sent out as a request for proposal to prospective economics consultants. Mr. Curt Brown (U.S. Department of the Interior) spoke on federal plans to evaluate economic impacts as part of the mandated federal environmental review process and his desire to coordinate to the degree possible with overlapping Land Committee studies.

Mr. Paul Matson provided the Land Interest Ownership Subcommittee report. Mr. Matson discussed recent meetings with representatives of Colorado's Centennial Land Trust and members of the Sandhills Task Force. Both entities expressed the critical need for involvement of area landowners. The Subcommittee continues to explore ways and means of establishing an organizational structure to handle Program lands ownership and management. Mr. Matson noted the Subcommittee's hope to have a draft document produced by the fall of 1998. The Subcommittee will next meet at the Buffalo County Extension's offices at 2:00 p.m. on July 20, 1998.

The next order of business was the Land Committee schedule. Mr. Czaplewski noted that Subcommittee chairs comments on the recent draft schedule should be provided to Mr. John Shadle for incorporation into the Committee's GANT chart.

Mr. Lundgren and Dr. Jeffrey led a work session regarding the Land Committee's proposed budget. A preliminary draft budget was distributed and reviewed in detail. Areas of agreement included the following: travel expenses (e.g., mileage) were set at government rates; by formal motion it was agreed that meal expenses be set at a maximum of $50.00/day with supporting receipts. By formal motion it was agreed that a per diem be paid to Chairpersons and designated presenters at a rate of $150 per day, based on a cumulative 9 hours worked. By formal motion it was decided to set a fee for consultants assisting the Land Committee in actions before the Governance Committee at a maximum of $1000.00.

Budget details for consultant work products, habitat criteria site evaluations, computer mapping, site restoration, and land contract negotiations were deferred for the time being. Reimbursements for specified legal counsel, clerical support phone calls and mailing charges will be added to the draft budget. The Co-Chairs and Executive Director will develop a proposal on compiling and reviewing budget items.

By formal motion the Land Committee sanctioned Mr. Lundgren and Mr. Batie to attend the

June 3. 1998, Governance Committee meeting in Denver. The Co-Chairs reviewed other upcoming events, including subsequent Governance Committee meetings in Lincoln on July 22 and in Cheyenne on September 2.

The next order of business was development of a Land Committee charter. Mr. Lundgren noted the Governance Committee's request that the Land Committee provide them with a draft charter. The Committee consensus was that the Cooperative Agreement Milestones provide the basis of our charter. Mr. Mark Payton was assigned the task of drafting a Committee charter. Executive Director Dale Strickland will work with the Co-Chairs to refine the draft charter for Land Committee review. The draft charter is scheduled for presentation at the July Governance Committee meeting.

The next meeting of the Land Committee will be June 18, 1998, at the offices of Central Platte Natural resources District in Grand Island, Nebraska, at 215 North Kaufman Ave., at 7:00 p.m. The following meeting is planned on July 15, 1998, at Kirks Restaurant in Lexington, Nebraska.

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Suzie Rowe, Acting Secretary