Dec. 30, 2023
Dear SEC members, I'm writing to ask you to reject the legality of Natural Asset Companies. These entities would be able to acquire land either outright or via purchasing management rights of said land (for example, public or tribal lands not for sale). Then they would appear to be free to assign made up values for the "ecosystem services" provided to the system/public by letting the piece of land sit unused. Undoubtedly, they will eventually come up with ways for taxpayers to pay them for the ecosystem services they so benevolently provide, while preventing wise and varied use of the commons by the people. Even someone naively optimistic about human nature can see how commoditizing nature will lead to concentration of power over natural processes, most fundamentally the production of and foraging for food for future generations. You must acknowledge that people in debt (in poor nations, in poor American counties or on tribal lands in the US) will sell their land and water rights to buzzard investors to relieve this debt. I think we've seen this movie before. It's inevitable. It will simply just happen if you legalize this kind of financial instrument. Please say no. E. Michelle Nichols Missouri Ozarks