The state can establish policies to prevent or mitigate the conversion of public or private conservation or natural resource lands to developed uses.  “No Net Loss” legislation requires that when state or local government converts conservation land to other purposes, they must permanently protect an equal or greater amount of land of equivalent or higher conservation value.  Various state agencies can also assess the impacts of programs and funding on priority lands; in order to ensure that any impact attributable to state funding is mitigated.   The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs should review all “surplus” land for resource values before disposition by the Department of Capital Asset Management. 

3.a    The legislature should adopt legislation (such as the Public Lands Protection Act) to prevent the disposition of state-owned conservation land

3.b    By legislation or executive order, establish a “no-net loss” goal for the state’s agricultural land and prime agricultural soils

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