Good Afternoon Commissioners and Staff.

My name is John Steinworth. I represent the Preserve Camp Coldwater Coalition.

Thank you Mr. Hamiel for staying late after last Thursday night's meeting to speak with us and for inviting us here today.

You are about to vote on funds for the purchase of the former Bureau of Mines land to provide a safety zone for air traffic.

You are about to do much more than that. You are about to make decisions that will forever impact Historic Camp Coldwater and Coldwater Springs.
Camp Coldwater is where the soldiers made camp while they built Historic Fort Snelling. The cool clear water of Coldwater Springs drew them here as it had drawn Native Americans for thousands of years before that. The confluence of the two great rivers was the center of the Native American universe. Many tribes traveled to this spot and used the sacred spring water for ceremonies. The soldiers installed pipes from the spring to the Fort which supplied the Fort with water until 1948.

We are the Preserve Camp Coldwater Coalition. We also come with the land.

Our mission statement is:
To preserve and protect the natural resources and restore the cultural integrity of the Camp Coldwater area, and to acquaint all people with the historic Birthplace of Minnesota.

We unsuccessfully opposed the reroute of Highway 55 just 400 feet from Coldwater Spring, but successfully raised the awareness of MnDOT and others to study this precious land and water resource resulting in modifications to construction plans to lessen potential impacts to the area.

We initiated the process that brought the Camp Coldwater watershed under the jurisdiction of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed. Our initiative also resulted in the airport complex coming under the jurisdiction of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District.

We provided the Minneapolis Tribune with information regarding your planned de-watering for the new runway tunnel and then bugged them for days until they printed it. The process that followed is what brings us together here today.

We do not want to preserve Camp Coldwater for what it is today, but for what it has been; the Birthplace of Minnesota and land held most sacred to Native Americans.

We believe the land is traditional cultural property, and as such, should be more appropriately returned to the Native Americans.

We believe that land use decisions for Camp Coldwater must be guided by the foresight of seven generations

We believe the MAC should deed the land back to the Native Americans, to the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community. You could keep the safety easement and restrict building on the site. This would be a great public relations move for the MAC and it would cost you absolutely nothing.

We believe the site should be left as public green space and park land.

We believe that the buildings imposed around the spring should be removed.

We believe that some buildings on the site could be saved and converted for use as an interpretive center so that all people could better nderstand their roots.

We believe that you should very strongly consider these ideas and ideals as you move forward with this purchase.

We understand from speaking with Mr. Hamiel that these could be Compatible uses of the land even under MAC ownership.

We assert that you include language in the contract stating that Camp Coldwater not be used for airport parking as has been rumored and now
denied by the MAC.

We maintain that you should provide full access to the waters of Coldwater Spring for continued use for all people, especially for Native American ceremonies.

Thank you your time this afternoon. I pray that you also consider all these things as you consider the future of Camp Coldwater, and pray that your decisions be guided by the wisdom of seven generations.

In closing I would like to invite each of you to visit Historic Camp Coldwater, and, if I could, pose a question:

If a Traditional Cultural Property Study finds that the land is Traditional Cultural Property, what happens?

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