State Land Initiative Filed
Enough signatures have been gathered to put an initiative on the Novermber 2008 ballot that will protect approximately 570,000 acres of state trust land (state wide) from development and will allow additional lands to be identified and acquiried for acquisition through the Arizona Preserve Initiative.
Prop 103, Our Land, Our Schools
· Designates 570,000 acres as permanent conservation lands, with over 180,000 acres located within Pima County. Development of these lands will be prohibited and the lands will be managed to protect the conservation value of the land. The State Land Department has the discretion to sell these lands to other state agencies (parks) or jurisdictions at conservation value if it is in the best interest of the Trust to do so.
· Allows additional State Trust Lands to be identified for conservation: State Trust Lands, not included in the 570,000 acre permanent conservation lands, can be identified for conservation and sold to Counties, Cities, Towns, and AZ State Park Agency for true market value without having to go to open auction.
Require the State Land Department to work with local communities when planning for State Trust Lands: Currently law does not require the state agency to respect local conservation planning efforts.
Governor Napolitano and the Arizona Education Association are in support of this initiative.
State Land Initiative Summary (PDF)
Arizona Preserve Initiative Summary (PDF)
Pima County Conservation Lands Map (PDF) -lands shown in orange will be immediately* proteced from development, all blue lands within the red API boundary will be eleigible for conservation.
Southeast Arizona Map (PDF) -lands shown in orange will be immediately* proteced from development, all blue lands within the red API boundary will be eleigible for conservation.
Arroyo Grande Area Map (PDF) -lands shown in orange will be immediately proteced from development, all blue lands within the red API boundary will be eleigible for conservation.
Stay tuned as more info is made available. If you would like to sign a petition go to The Tucson Adubon Nature Shop at 300 E. University Blvd., Suite 120 (on the SE corner of 5th Ave. & University)
Contact Sean with any questions or if you wouldl like to circulate your own petition
(520)388-9925or at sean@sonorandesert.org
*There are two steps necessary in order for this initiative to become legally valid. 1) Arizona voters must approve the initiative in the 2008 November general election. 2) The United States Congress must amend the Arizona-New Mexico Enabling Act to allow the conservation of State Trust Land as outlined in the initiative.
Page last modified: April 17, 2008 at 12:00 AM