University of Colorado Law School Colorado Law Scholarly Commons
Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Books, Reports, and Studies Resources, Energy, and the Environment
2004
Private Lands Conservation in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Gregg de Bie
University of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center
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Citation Information Gregg de Bie, Private Lands Conservation in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Natural Res. Law Ctr., Univ. of Colo. Sch. of Law 2004).
GREGG DE BIE, PRIVATE LANDS CONSERVATION IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS (Natural Res. Law Ctr., Univ. of Colo. Sch. of Law 2004).
Reproduced with permission of the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment (formerly the Natural Resources Law Center) at the University of Colorado Law School.
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PRIVATE LANDS CONSERVATION IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN
~ARIANASISLANDS
A Country Report by the Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado School of Law
September 2004
Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy
Primary Author: Gregg de Bie, NRLC Research Assistant KWC [email protected] 55 .B54 2004
Private Lands Conservation in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
A Report by the Natural Resources Law Center University of Colorado School of Law
September 2004
Primary Author: Gregg de Bie, NRLC Research Assistant E-mail: [email protected]
0 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
BRIEF QUESTIONS...... 1 INTRODUCTION...... 3 I. RELEVANT BACKGROUND...... 4 A. History of land tenure under foreign administrations ...... 4 1. Spanish era (1521-1899) ...... 5 2. German era (1899-1914)...... 6 3. Japanese era (1914-1944) ...... 7 4. United States era (1944-Present) ...... 8 B. Overview of the land, demographics, and related issues...... 11 1. Land area and population figures ...... 11 2. Public and private lands...... 12 C. Government...... 16 1. Executive branch...... 16 2. Legislative branch...... 16 3. Judicial branch...... 17 4. Local governments...... 17 5. U.S. representation...... 18 D. Legal framework...... 18 1. Supreme law ...... 19 2. Other sources of law ...... 21 II. OWNERSHIP OF PRIVATE PROPERTY ...... 23 A. Restrictions on alienation of land ...... 23 B. General restrictions on land use ...... 24 III. PRIVATE LAND ADMINISTRATION...... 25 A. Institutional framework ...... 25 B. Establishing clear title and settling disputes ...... 26 C. Land registration and transfer ...... 28 IV. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATE LANDS...... 29 A. Introduction to conservation easements ...... 29 1. Appurtenant conservation easements ...... 30 2. Conservation easements in gross ...... 33 3. Tax incentives for conservation easements...... 34 4. Uniform Conservation Easement Act ...... 35 B. Conservation easements in the CNMI...... 37 1. CNMI authority for conservation easements ...... 37 2. U.S. authority for conservation easements in the CNMI ...... 39 3. Hindrances to implementing conservation easements in the CNMI...... 43 V. OTHER POTENTIAL LEGAL TOOLS...... 45 A. Leases, “leaseback” agreements, and reserved life interests ...... 45 B. Real covenants...... 46 C. Equitable servitudes...... 48 D. Purchased development rights...... 50 E. Profits à prendre ...... 50
2 VI. CNMI LEGISLATION RELEVANT TO PRIVATE LANDS CONSERVATION...... 52 A. Fish, Game and Endangered Species Act ...... 52 B. Public Purpose Land Exchange Authorization Act of 1987 ...... 55 C. Soil and Water Conservation Act of 1984...... 56 D. Coastal Resources Management Act of 1983...... 57 E. Commonwealth Environmental Protection Act...... 59 VII. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ...... 60 A. Enactment of conservation easement legislation in the CNMI...... 60 B. Develop conservation easement precedent in the CNMI...... 61 C. Utilize the Fish, Game and Endangered Species Act...... 62 D. Become eligible for U.S. federal programs ...... 63 1. Forest Legacy Program ...... 63 2. Wetlands Reserve Program ...... 64 3. Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program...... 64 CONCLUSION ...... 65 BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 67
3 TABLE OF ACRONYMS