Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM No. SD36846 VAN McGIBNEY, et al., Plaintiffs-Respondents, v. MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Defendant-Appellant. Appeal from the Circuit Court of Oregon County, Missouri The Honorable Steven Privette Case No. 17AM-CC00021 Brief of Amici Curiae Conservation Federation of Missouri, Missouri Parks Association, L-A-D Foundation, Sierra Club Missouri Chapter, Missouri Park and Recreation Association, Magnificent Missouri, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Ozark Society Schoolcraft Chapter, Eleven Point Headwaters Stream Team and Greenwood Forest Association Jeremiah W. “Jay” Nixon, #29603 Joseph C. Blanton, Jr., #32769 John J. Rehmann, #61245 Shaun D. Hanschen, #56821 Matthew K. Crane, #65854 Diedre A. Peters, #68319 DOWD BENNETT LLP BLANTON, NICKELL, COLLINS, 7733 Forsyth Boulevard, Suite 1900 DOUGLAS & HANSCHEN, LLC St. Louis, MO 63105 219 South Kingshighway Phone: 314-889-7300 Post Office Box 805 Fax: 314-863-2111 Sikeston, MO 63801 [email protected] Phone: 573-471-1000 [email protected] Fax: 573-471-1012 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Christopher R. Pieper, #57564 [email protected] BLITZ, BARDGETT & DEUTSCH, LC 414 East Broadway, Suite 100 William J. Bryan, #37711 Columbia, MO 65201 1862 Greenwood Road Phone : 573-355-5045 Marshfield, MO 65706 Fax : 573-634-3358 Phone: 573-690-9586 [email protected] Attorneys for Amici Curiae Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ........................................................................................... iv INTERESTS OF AMICI CURIAE .................................................................................. 1 I. Conservation Federation of Missouri .............................................................. 1 II. Missouri Parks Association ............................................................................ 1 III. L-A-D Foundation ........................................................................................... 1 IV. Sierra Club Missouri Chapter .......................................................................... 1 V. Missouri Park and Recreation Association ..................................................... 2 VI. Magnificent Missouri ....................................................................................... 2 VII. Missouri Coalition for the Environment .......................................................... 2 VIII. Ozark Society Schoolcraft Chapter ................................................................. 2 IX. Eleven Point Headwaters Stream Team .......................................................... 2 X. Greenwood Forest Association ....................................................................... 2 JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT ................................................................................. 4 CONSENT OF THE PARTIES ....................................................................................... 4 STATEMENT OF FACTS .............................................................................................. 4 INCORPORATION OF APPENDIX ............................................................................... 4 POINTS RELIED ON ..................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 7 ARGUMENT ................................................................................................................... 8 i Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM I. Point I – The trial court erred in finding DNR’s acquisition and ................. 10 possession for state park purposes of land subject to a conservation easement was arbitrary and capricious, because the trial court impermissibly substituted its own discretion in place of DNR’s discretion, in that under Chapter 253, RSMo., Missouri law vests DNR with the exclusive authority to determine whether land is suitable for a park purpose. II. Point II – The trial court erred in finding DNR’s authority to ...................... 12 purchase and use land for a park purpose conflicts with the terms of a conservation easement that restricts public access to portions of that land, because a park and a conservation easement serve complimentary purposes in that park purposes include preservation and restoration of park land which are consistent with the terms of the conservation easement restricting public access to a portion of the land, and in that the trial court erroneously conflated a public purpose under Chapter 253, RSMo. with unfettered public access to every corner of the park, which is not required to constitute a park purpose. III. Point III – The trial court erred in finding DNR’s authority to ..................... 19 purchase and use land for a park purpose conflicts with the terms of a conservation easement that restricts public access to portions of that land, because state parks throughout Missouri and across the country are subject to similar restrictive easements that limit unfettered public access, ii Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM in that the trial court’s reasoning, if upheld, would imperil park lands throughout Missouri and across the country and it would have a devastating impact on conservation efforts impacting generations to come. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 23 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE AND SERVICE .................................................. 26 iii Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM TABLE OF AUTHORITIES CASES Page Elder v. Delcour, 269 S.W.2d 17, 23-28 (Mo. 1954) ....................................................... 21 Hill v. Mo. Dept. of Conservation, 550 S.W.3d 463, 467-74 (Mo. 2018) ......................... 21 Marsh v. Bartlett, 121 S.W.2d 737, 744 (Mo. 1938) ........................................................ 21 State ex inf. Danforth ex rel. Farmers’ Elect. Co-op., Inc. v. State Envtl. Improvement Authority, 518 S.W.2d 68, 74 (Mo. banc 1975) .............................. 11, 21 State ex rel. Wagner v. St. Louis Cty. Port Auth., 604 S.W.2d 592, 596 (Mo. 1980) ................................................................................ 12 STATUTES AND REGULATIONS § 253.010(3)-(4), RSMo. ....................................................................................... 11, 12, 17 § 253.035, RSMo. ........................................................................................................ 15, 16 § 253.040, RSMo. ............................................................................................ 10, 11, 14, 17 16 U.S.C. § 1271 ................................................................................................................ 8 10 CSR § 90-2.030(27)(A)(C) ..................................................................................... 15, 16 10 CSR § 90-2.040 ...................................................................................................... 15, 16 RULES Rule 84.05(f)(3) ................................................................................................................... 4 iv Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM INTERESTS OF AMICI CURIAE I. Conservation Federation of Missouri. The Conservation Federation of Missouri and its over 100 affiliate organizations represent over 80,000 committed outdoor advocates and participants. II. Missouri Parks Association. The Missouri Parks Association, a nonpartisan citizen organization of 2,800 members, advocates for the protection and enhancement of state parks and state historic sites throughout Missouri and spearheaded the petition effort that led to passage of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax in 1984 and four times since. III. L-A-D Foundation. The L-A-D Foundation works to preserve forests and wildlife. It was founded by Leo Drey who had a personal connection to the Eleven Point, having purchased and preserved Greer Spring, the single largest source of the Eleven Point’s spring-fed waters. IV. Sierra Club Missouri Chapter. The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. The Missouri Sierra Club is proud to represent more than 12,000 members throughout the state. 1 Electronically Filed - SOUTHERN DISTRICT CT OF APPEAL March 24, 2021 04:34 PM V. Missouri Park and Recreation Association. The Missouri Park and Recreation Association represents parks and historic sites across Missouri including 110+ municipal agencies and over 2,000 park and recreation professionals. VI. Magnificent Missouri. Magnificent Missouri is a strong supporter of trails, rivers, parks and outdoor opportunities. V. Missouri Coalition for the Environment. Missouri Coalition for the Environment is the state’s longest-serving independent