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Dayton Taps Conservation Lobbyist For Minn. DNR

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Gov. Mark Dayton filled one of the most politically delicate positions in his cabinet on Thursday, tapping a seasoned conservationist to head the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Tom Landwehr, formerly of the Nature Conservancy's Minnesota chapter, will oversee state lands and waters, wildlife management and outdoor recreation as commissioner of natural resources.

The position requires balancing interests as varied as deer hunters and logging companies, snowmobile clubs and skiers, environmentalists and mining ventures.

Landwehr, 55, brings a deep background in outdoors issues, including 17 years at the DNR and stints working on conservation at Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy, where he served as assistant state director. The Nature Conservancy was one of the forces behind a land deal preserving nearly 300 square miles of forest near the Mississippi River headwaters after voters approved an outdoors-focused sales tax increase in 2008.

Landwehr's appointment drew praise from hunters and anglers, as well as the environmentalist camp.

"He is a complete conservationist," said Lance Ness, who heads two nonprofit groups for hunters and anglers and sought the commissioner post himself. "He is well-educated on all aspects of conservation, the environment, including hunting and fishing."

"I have a lot of confidence that he will be even-handed, fair but also firm," said Steve Morse, who leads the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, a coalition of environmental groups.

In an interview, Landwehr said he expects the state's $6.2 billion deficit and two pending precious metals mining projects in northeastern Minnesota to be a big part of his new job. As commissioner, he will determine whether to issue permits for the mines, which are viewed as a major economic development push for the Iron Range but also raise ecological concerns about water pollution.

"Ideally, in projects like this we can find a solution where you can do the mining that's needed and protect the water for the long term," he said.

Ely Mayor Roger Skraba said he plans to invite Landwehr and the new Minnesota Pollution Control Agency commissioner, Paul Aasen, to visit and learn more about the mining projects. Skraba said the mayors of a group of Iron Range cities favored another candidate for the DNR job, but he praised Landwehr's hunting and fishing background.

"We'd like to get him up here and meet him and get his feelings on these mining projects," Skraba said.

Landwehr said he expects strong feelings to accompany issues that come before his agency, from mining and logging jobs to outdoor passions.

"Skiing or hunting or fishing or camping or boating -- those are not just passions in Minnesota, they are ways of being," he said.

Landwehr terminated his registration as a lobbyist for the Nature Conservancy on Tuesday. He succeeds Mark Holsten, a former state legislator who headed the agency for the past four years under former Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Dayton has been filling out his cabinet in recent weeks, naming tax attorney Myron Frans as revenue commissioner on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Senate Tax Committee Chairwoman Julianne Ortman criticized the Democratic governor for picking Frans, who won't start full-time until mid-April as he exits a small manufacturing company. Ortman's committee will hold confirmation hearings for the revenue commissioner.

"Improving our business climate and putting Minnesotans back to work can't wait until mid-April," said Ortman, R-Chanhassen.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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