The history of school trust lands in Minnesota began in March 1849, when the United States Congress established a territorial government for Minnesota.  Nearly a decade later, when Minnesota became a state in 1858, sections 16 and 36 of every township were set aside in trust for the benefit of schools.  The state could use, lease, or sell the land to raise money for education.  A Permanent School Fund (PSF) was established to manage land revenues.  Also, interest earned on these funds was designated to fund the PSF on a yearly basis. In 1858, Minnesota had a total population of 150,000, and was two-thirds rural.  Much of the trust land was sold by the mid 1880s for agriculture and development, and now there are only about 2.5 million acres remaining in Minnesota.  Moreover, most of the school trust land is located within ten northern Minnesota counties.  In fact, approximately 86,000 acres of state trust lands are currently locked within the borders of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).  These lands within the BWCAW cannot be logged, leased, or mined.  Thus, they are not generating money for the school trust.

The BWCAW covers approximately 1.09 million acres.  In terms of state ownership, both the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the counties manage 122,247 acres (about 11.2 percent of the total).  Of this, approximately 93,260 acres (8.5 percent) are Trust Fund lands.  Although these lands are designated “school trust,” they do not produce revenue for schools because commercial extraction of natural resources is not permitted inside the BWCAW.  Importantly, the state land was there before the wilderness area was designated.  In 1978, Congress passed the BWCA Wilderness Act, which ended logging activities.  Since that time, there have been thousands of acres of land in Permanent School Trust Fund status within the Boundary Waters, where federal laws prohibit management for timber.

Since the BWCAW founding, the school trust land within the Boundary Waters has not been earning money for Minnesota students.  This goes against Minnesota law, which specifies that these lands must earn money for the Trust.
 

---

Preserve the Boundary Waters & Return the Trust Lands to Students

This legislation directs the federal government to execute the Minnesota state-passed plan.  H.R. 5544, the Minnesota Education Investment and Employment Act, attempts to solve this problem by removing the state school trust lands from the BWCAW, so that they can again produce much needed revenue for our schools.

Under the bill, all 86,329 state-owned school trust funds lands will be exchanged outside the BWCAW to start earning revenues for Minnesota students.  The state will receive equal surface and subsurface acreage for all land swapped out of the BWCAW.  This legislation will ensure the land exchange takes place and the state of Minnesota receives the highest valued lands possible.

H.R. 5544 does not eliminate a single acre of Boundary Waters land.  In fact, it will add wilderness acres to the existing BWCAW boundaries, making it whole for the first time in its existence.  The bill will preserve hunting and fishing rights on federal land, and encourage multi-use on all new state lands.  Overall, the school trust lands were created for the benefit of students. This legislation will allow these lands to fulfill their intended purpose of funding Minnesota schools.

On Friday, June 8, the Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands conducted a comprehensive hearing on the Minnesota Education Investment and Employment Act.

Click here to watch Rep. Cravaack's subcommittee testimony, or view the transcript here

  

Watch the subcommittee testimony of Minnesota state Rep. Denise Dittrich (DFL) and former Republican state senator Grace Keliher of the Minnesota School Boards Association here.

Watch Rep. Cravaack’s cross examination in House subcommittee here.

Watch subcommittee Chairman Bishop’s comments here.

View photos here.

---

What They're Saying

U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack | Preserve and protect BWCAW; return trust lands to students

Star Tribune | Scrutiny needed on BWCA swap

Tim O'Driscoll & Denise Dittrich | BWCA land swap has a moral purpose

U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack | Schools will receive money from BWCA land swap for decades

Rep. Tom Rukavina | BWCA land swap: Newspaper's all wet

The Ely Echo | BWCAW land swap resolution waiting for MN senators to step up
 

---

Message from Chip

Dear friends, School trust lands locked within the Boundary Waters ultimately belong to Minnesota’s children – our public schools have been waiting decades for this funding.  Our economy cannot wait.  This will produce maximum benefits for our students at minimum cost and well-paying jobs for hardworking Minnesotans, by following the state plan.  Any land exchange must incorporate both surface and subsurface lands, so we do not shortchange Minnesota school children. I am happy to support the efforts of the Minnesota legislature and the Governor by introducing a bill that will direct the secretary to implement the state-passed land swap plan.  As we move forward, I will continue working with Minnesotans at the local level, as well as the DNR, the Forest Service, involved stakeholders, and my colleagues across the aisle in putting Minnesota students first. Furthermore, I am confident this will get done because obstacles to progress have a hard time lasting forever. It is our legal obligation to resolve this matter, and it is our duty to future generations of Minnesotans. While much work remains, we never have been closer to resolving this 30-year problem than we are now. For the rest of this year, I am going to do my best to have H.R. 5544 clear the House of Representatives and pass the baton to our senators, who hopefully will have the opportunity to bring this win for our state across the finish line. I am a big supporter of the Boundary Waters and this bill has been crafted in a way to make it even better.  The lands of Superior National Forest were set aside for the benefit of all Minnesotans.  Undoubtedly, the BWCAW serves as a reminder of our nation’s legacy; but the BWCAW is more than just a legacy—it’s a springboard for Minnesota’s future.

Very truly yours,

Chip