BY KAITLYN CAMILLERI
The governor has signed off on legislation that could ultimately lift the cap on how much land the state Department of Natural Resources is allowed to own.
The cap was created by the legislature earlier this year. The new law allows the cap to be lifted, if the department creates a long-term land management plan. The plan would have to be approved by the legislature for the cap to be lifted.
State Sen. John Moolenaar sponsored the legislation.
"We just want to know what the long term plan is for the DNR to own land in Michigan, it's important that we have public land and that it's managed prudently, and we are able to maximize the resources that our state has to offer our citizens," said Moolenaar.
Moolenaar said under the new law, residents will know how much land the state owns, and exactly what the state plans to do with that land.