SB 2331 establishes a working group to manage wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, directly affecting park operations, local tourism, and conservation efforts. The group must maintain the wild horse population above 200 through nonlethal methods (like birth control or relocation), promote horse-related tourism, and submit annual reports to lawmakers. It requires a $50,000 state appropriation for the 2025-2027 biennium to support these activities. The bill mandates quarterly meetings and collaboration with the National Park Service, focusing on concrete management and tourism strategies without specifying outcomes.
HB 1017 provides $104.7 million in state and federal funds to North Dakota's Game and Fish Department for the 2025-2027 biennium, covering salaries, habitat programs, deer depredation control, and operational costs. It includes specific allocations like $27.2 million for land habitat and $2.5 million for aquatic nuisance species management. The bill also allows the department to transfer up to $2 million between budget lines during the biennium and sets rules for conservation agreements with landowners. This is a funding bill, not a policy change, and directly affects only the Game and Fish Department's budget operations.
SB 2368 creates a state-administered grant program for infrastructure projects on North Dakota's national grasslands, directly benefiting cooperative grazing associations and their representative organizations. Grants fund specific improvements like water systems, fencing, conservation work, wildlife habitat enhancements, and carbon capture initiatives, all located on federally managed grasslands. Organizations receiving grants must provide a $1 nonstate match for every $4 in state funding and develop approved grazing land plans with local soil conservation districts. The agriculture commissioner will oversee the program, focusing on practical infrastructure upgrades to support sustainable grazing operations.
This bill would require oil and gas operators in North Dakota to restore land disturbed by their activities (like well sites, pipelines, and facilities) as close as possible to its original condition before disturbance. Key provisions include mandating the preservation and documented use of suitable plant growth material from the site for reclamation, requiring a pre-disturbance meeting with the state commission to plan this, and needing commission approval before land disturbance begins. The commission could also waive reclamation requirements after decommissioning with proper documentation. The bill does not apply to properly reclaimed pits or abandoned pipelines.
This North Dakota concurrent resolution (HCR 3024) requests that the U.S. Congress transfer management of the state's national grasslands - over 1 million acres currently overseen by the U.S. Forest Service - to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It argues the NRCS better aligns with the original purpose of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, which established these grasslands to control erosion, conserve resources, and support agricultural lands. The resolution does not change management itself but urges Congress to act on this recommendation. It directly affects North Dakota's national grassland properties and their conservation management approach.
This North Dakota resolution urges Congress to create federal protections for the wild horse herd at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It highlights the herd's historical connection to Theodore Roosevelt's era, its role in preserving North Dakota's cultural identity, and its economic benefits through tourism. The resolution specifically requests Congress enact legislation to ensure the long-term health and preservation of the herd. As a concurrent resolution, it does not create law but formally requests federal action.
Relating to conservation easements and leaseholds; and to amend and reenact sections 4.1‑01‑21, 4.1‑01‑21.1, and 49‑22‑09.2 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the federal environmental law impact review fund, the environmental impact mitigation fund, and mitigating environmental impacts; and to declare an emergency.
