LAND COMMISSIONER

A Commissioner General of Lands is an elected position in the state. The holder of this position heads the general land office and serves a four-year term. Some of the duties of the commissioner of general lands include:

·        Chairing key state boards and managing mineral rights, state assets and investments. 

·        The commissioner of general lands has a duty to manage all state-owned land and assets in a way that maximizes revenue.

·        He has authority overuse of public land and authorizes professional to explore and exploit it. For example, the commissioner can authorize an energy company to conduct tests on a specific piece of land, determine availability of commercially viable oil and initiate production. Because the commissioner of general lands must balance land use with environmental protection concerns, he develops environmental protection policies that minimize environmental pollution while enhancing land production.