Land commissioner

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A land commissioner or natural resources commissioner is a public official in the executive branch of a state or territory in the United States. While the duties of the position may vary, their general role is maintaining, protecting, and regulating public lands and natural resources; including state parks, forests, and recreation areas. [1] Every state except Wyoming has a natural resources commissioner. [2]

Contents

Five states – Arkansas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington – elect land commissioners in partisan elections, with Arkansas, South Dakota, and New Mexico additionally dividing the duties between a partisan elected office and a nonpartisan appointed office. In all other states, the position is nonpartisan and appointed, usually by the governor. [1]

The National Association of State Trust Lands is a nonprofit consortium of state land commissioners. [3]

List of current land commissioners

As of October 2,2024, the various land commissioners are: [1]

OfficeNameElected/Appointed
Alabama Commissioner of Conservation and Natural ResourcesChristopher BlankenshipAppointed
Alaska Commissioner of Natural ResourcesJohn BoyleAppointed
Arizona Commissioner of LandsRobyn SahidAppointed
Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands Tommy Land Elected (partisan)
Arkansas Executive Director of Natural Resources CommissionChris ColclasureAppointed
California Secretary for Natural ResourcesWade CrowfootAppointed
Colorado Executive Director of Natural ResourcesDan GibbsAppointed
Connecticut Commissioner of Energy and Environmental ProtectionKatie Scharf DykesAppointed
Delaware Secretary of Natural Resources and Environmental ControlShawn GarvinAppointed
Florida Secretary of Environmental ProtectionShawn HamiltonAppointed
Georgia Commissioner of Natural ResourcesWalter RabonAppointed
Hawaii Chairperson of Land and Natural ResourcesDawn N. S. ChangAppointed
Idaho Director of LandsDustin MillerAppointed
Illinois Director of Natural ResourcesNatalie Phelps FinnieAppointed
Indiana Director of Natural ResourcesDan BortnerAppointed
Iowa Director of Natural ResourcesKayla LyonAppointed
Kansas Secretary of Wildlife and ParksChris KennedyAppointed
Kentucky Commissioner of Natural ResourcesGordon SloneAppointed
Louisiana Secretary of Natural ResourcesTyler GrayAppointed
Maine Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation, and ForestryAmanda BealAppointed
Maryland Secretary of Natural ResourcesJosh KurtzAppointed
Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental AffairsRebecca TepperAppointed
Michigan Director of Natural ResourcesScott BowenAppointed
Minnesota Commissioner of Natural ResourcesSarah StrommenAppointed
Mississippi Executive Director of Environmental QualityChris WellsAppointed
Missouri Director of Natural ResourcesDru BuntinAppointed
Montana Director of Natural Resources and ConservationAmanda KasterAppointed
Nebraska Director of Natural ResourcesVacantAppointed
Nevada Director of Conservation and Natural ResourcesJames A. SettelmeyerAppointed
New Hampshire Executive Director of Fish and GameVacantAppointed
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard Elected (partisan)
New Mexico Secretary of Energy Minerals and Natural ResourcesMelanie KenderdineAppointed
New York Commissioner of Environmental ConservationSean MaharAppointed
North Carolina Secretary of Environmental QualityElizabeth BiserAppointed
Ohio Director of Natural ResourcesMary MertzAppointed
Oklahoma Director of Wildlife ConservationWade FreeAppointed
Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural ResourcesCindy Adams DunnAppointed
South Carolina Director of Natural ResourcesRobert BoylesAppointed
South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands Brock Greenfield Elected (partisan)
South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesHunter RobertsAppointed
South Dakota Secretary of Environment and Natural ResourcesVacantAppointed
Tennessee Commissioner of Environment and ConservationDavid SalyersAppointed
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham Elected (partisan)
Utah Director of Natural ResourcesJoel FerryAppointed
Vermont Secretary of Natural ResourcesJulie MooreAppointed
Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic ResourcesTravis VoylesAppointed
Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz Elected (partisan)
West Virginia Director of Natural ResourcesBrett McMillionAppointed
Wisconsin Secretary of Natural ResourcesVacantAppointed

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Natural Resources Commissioner (state executive office)". Ballotpedia. 2023-01-06. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
  2. Hult, Karen M. (2020-03-01). "8 Sex, Gender, and Leadership in the Executive Branch". Madam President?. Lynne Rienner Publishers. pp. 141–166. doi:10.1515/9781685850982-010. ISBN   978-1-68585-098-2. Every state except Wyoming has a natural resources commissioner, but only 4 states hold elections for these positions.
  3. Brown, Alex (2023-10-26). "Western states look to these lands for new affordable housing • Stateline". Stateline. Retrieved 2024-10-02.