Reader: Mo. DNR do work at hand; don't go shopping

Attention Missouri DNR:

I write to you today to oppose your obscure Missouri Trustees Council plan, which diverts millions of dollars from the ASARCO - EPA lead mining settlement to purchase privately owned land in and beyond the scenic corridor of the Eleven Point River watershed for a 2463 acre "state park preservation area". I also oppose your future plans to purchase two adjoining tracts of 2209 acres and 5996 acres, respectively.

Even though the $64 million settlement designated for Missouri's lead belt contamination areas seems like a lot of money, it is a meager tally compared to the human damage and real cost of long term natural resource restoration. I suggest that the trustees use their precious resources to do the work at hand, not treat settlement funds like a Powerball jackpot winner on a shopping spree.

Furthermore, there is no open ended public mandate to put more privately owned land in the Eleven Point River watershed under any public agency's control much less a "state park preservation area". Other than the bureaucratic, backroom intent of the three Missouri Trustees Council members composed of the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife and DNR.

The Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife and DNR along with other like minded agencies should refrain from accumulating more land in the Eleven Point River watershed and MDC "conservation opportunity areas". It is no secret that public agencies are long on land holdings and short on operating budgets. Missouri's collection of 88 DNR State Parks and Historic Sites are some $400 million behind in upkeep and infrastructure upgrades. And, as you know, the Forest Service's answer to upkeep and upgrades is, "we have no money". Maybe a better plan would be to take care of what you have before moving on to more land accumulation from private property owners.

A better focus for a new state park in Oregon County, if the "Trustees" are so inclined, would be to put forth a coordinated public proposal to transfer ownership of some of the 105,000 + acres that the Forest Service owns in the county to DNR. How about Greer Spring State Park and Historical Site or Turners Mill State Park or Bose Mill State Park? Just to name a few of the many possibilities along 44 miles of Eleven Point Scenic River designated by Public Law 90-542.

An even better focus for natural resource conservation in the Eleven Point watershed would be adequate, long term incentives for private landowner conservation efforts such as those offered by Soil and Water district Special Area Land Treatment (SALT) programs. This would alleviate the consequences of your single minded plan to forever remove private property and its agricultural tax base in favor of a no tax base "state park preservation area".

The real payoff for the environment and the economy is in the hard work of coordination between public agencies, private landowners and local elected officials, not the collaboration of central planners who may put a public notice on an obscure, unfamiliar website.

Like many Missourians, I take pride in the innate human need to enjoy the great outdoors, be it on the farm or in a DNR Missouri State Park, U. S. Forest Service Boat Ramp or MDC Conservation Area. However, expanding considerations for the enjoyment and funding of such things should be done in the light of day with all stakeholders, not after the fact.

Maybe a little direct and timely notification to county commissioners and district legislators would be wise first step.

Thank you for the opportunity to extend my comments.

Sincerely,

Mike Dethrow

RR 71 Box 1105

Alton, MO 65606