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Committee defers DLNR lease oversight report after extended questioning on inspections and staffing
Summary
The committee deferred HR145/HCR151 directing DLNR to report on lease enforcement and procedures after lengthy questioning about staffing shortages, the feasibility of biennial inspections, use of third-party inspectors, and whether lease renewals can require inspections or remediation.
The House Committee on Water & Land on March 25 deferred HR145/HCR151, a resolution requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to submit a detailed report on leases and lease enforcement procedures. Lawmakers pressed DLNR officials on understaffing, inspector recruitment, and how the department enforces lease terms, especially when properties may need environmental cleanup.
Kevin Moore of DLNR’s Land Division said the department is trying to hire inspectors but has had offers declined because of pay; “Getting all that done in a way that will make a significant difference before next session is probably hard to do,” he told the committee. Moore said some positions have been open for months; the department has made offers that candidates rejected due to compensation.
Lawmakers and staff discussed options that include requiring inspections as a lease term for new or extended leases and contracting third-party inspectors. Moore said DLNR is using its own funds to contract third-party inspectors for some commercial properties but cannot retroactively require existing lessees to pay for inspections without amending lease contracts.
DLNR counsel and staff noted that major lease decisions — renewals, extensions, and terminations — are decided by the Board of Land and Natural Resources in open, agendized meetings and often require Attorney General review. A DLNR speaker explained there is no blanket department policy that prevents renewing leases; instead, state law (as discussed in the hearing) contains conditions that can bar applicants in limited circumstances. Committee members asked for records showing when leases come up for renegotiation so the legislature can track opportunities to add modern inspection clauses.
The committee deferred the resolution to allow more interim work on enforcement options, how to require and fund inspections (including whether lessees should pay for required inspections on renewals), and how to reconcile older lease terms with modern environmental and compliance expectations.
Ending: The committee deferred HR145/HCR151 to permit DLNR and the legislature to pursue more work over the interim on staffing, inspection authority, and contractual remedies.
