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This edition:
Caution: New Legislation on Oil/Gas Development Introduced
New legislation introduced in the Michigan Senate would strip the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of its ability to regulate and manage the
oil, gas, and mineral resources of the state. Senate Bill 1164, introduced by
Senator Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw), would create a public/private partnership
charged with developing oil and gas on state lands. This partnership, known as
the “Clean Energy Authority”, would have the power to force the DNR to enter
into a oil and gas or mineral lease agreement with the authority unless the
proposed site is already in production or has “unusual or sensitive”
environmental features. Currently, revenue generated through the leasing of
state mineral rights is deposited directly into the Michigan Natural Resources
Trust Fund, which is used by the state to purchase land for recreation and
conservation and for recreational developments. Under the new proposal, the
authority would pay the DNR a royalty for the lease which would be deposited
into the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. Any additional income would be
diverted away from the DNR and instead go towards funding a new clean energy
fund. This fund would in turn be used for a variety of programs, including the
development of new coal-fired power plants and enhanced oil recovery projects.
The authority would enter into production partnerships with oil and gas
producers and would absorb the production costs, losses and earnings as any
producer. The wells would have to comply with all state and federal laws. It is
unclear what the full ramifications of this legislation are to the management of
our state lands. Some of the concerns, however, include:
- The potential lost of federal funds for forest
management activities,
- Potential mineral production in such areas as the
Pigeon River Country State Forest, the Mason Tract, state parks or the
Jordon River. Protection of these
areas will depend on how the DNR is allowed to define “sensitive and unusual
environmental features”.
- The impact on the forest certification process,
- Conflicts with restrictions placed on lands purchased
with federal funds
- Lost of the DNR’s ability to manage state lands for
multiple uses, including hunting.
This legislation was only introduced this week
but appears to have strong support by several key legislators.
We will keep you informed as we learn more about this bill.
MUCC is very concerned, however, about the potentially significant and
severe ramifications it presents to the management of our state lands.
DNR State Forest Management Plan: Deadline for comments extended
At the request of the Forest Management Advisory Committee,
the DNR Director’s consideration of the new Forest Management Plan has been
postponed for two months. The DNR
will continue to accept comments until March 14.
Visit:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/ to review
the plan and submit your comments
Hunting in the City Limits: Your Help is Needed!
If you hunt within a city’s boundaries, please send Donna
Stine (dstine@mucc.org) the name of the
city and whether you hunt on public or private land within the city.
A recent Michigan Supreme Court decision gave
cities the ability to restrict
hunting (including bow hunting) within their city limits, without going through
the existing DNR process for hunting closures.
We are trying to understand the impact of this decision so that we can
fully inform legislators about the need to rectify this ruling. All information
will be compiled by MUCC staff and your name will not be shared with anyone.
Please contact Donna at 517-346-6487 or through email if you have any
questions. Your help is greatly
appreciated.
MUCC Goes to Washington!
Great Lakes Days in Washington D.C.
Last week, MUCC members and staff filled the hallowed halls of our nation’s capital and found a positive reception by Michigan’s Congressional delegation on such issues as the Clean Water Restoration Act, the Great Lakes Legacy Fund, and the Coast Guard
Reauthorization Bill which contains provisions to stop the spread of invasive species through ballast water.
MUCC’s members Eldon Montross, Bob Borchak, Paul Farrell, Bill Feight, Jane Finnerty, Greg Peter, Furmer Reed, and Jeff Santure, along with MUCC staff April Bennett and Donna Stine visited with Senator Stabenow and Congressmen Rogers, Kildee, Knollenberg, McCotter, and Walberg and staff from Senator Levin and Congressmen Camp, Ehlers, Hoekstra, Kilpatrick, Levin, Miller, Stupak, and Upton’s offices. We returned with very sore feet but a strong sense that Michigan’s Congressional delegation supports our work in Great Lakes restoration.
Teaming with Wildlife Coalition Roars into D.C.
Also last week, the Michigan Teaming with Wildlife
Coalition, represented by MUCC staff Amy Spray, Mike Bailey from the DNR’s
Wildlife Division, and Rich Bowman from The Nature Conservancy joined 150 people
from 40 others states to storm the Hill for visits with Senate and Congressional
staff to talk about State Wildlife Grants, climate change & wildlife, and a
newly introduced Teaming with Wildlife Act. Our team met with Governor
Granholm’s Director of the Washington D.C office, Dan Beattie; staff of Senators
Stabenow and Levin; and Congressional staff from Kilpatrick, Knollenberg,
McCotter, Miller, Rogers,
and Stupak’s offices.
The Teaming with Wildlife Act, which is co-sponsored by
Senator Stabenow, would provide a reliable and increased amount of funding for
preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. The bill would dedicate a portion
of existing federal revenue from on-shore and off-shore oil and mineral
development activities to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program, to
the tune of $350 million per year for 5 years. We thank her for her leadership
and support of wildlife and healthy habitats!
Although the Teaming with Wildlife Act looks promising, Michigan still needs
funding through the State Wildlife Grants Program for the next fiscal year. The
State Wildlife Grants Program is currently in the President’s FY 2009 Department
of Interior’s budget proposal for $73.8 million, but the Teaming with Wildlife
Coalition would like to see the funding restored to its 2002 level of $85
million. This federal funding helps the DNR fill critical gaps in wildlife
habitat programs not covered by Pittman-Robertson, Dingell-Johnson, or
Endangered/Threatened Species funding.
Please contact your Congressman/woman and
ask them to sign onto the “Dear Colleague” letter requesting $85 million for
State Wildlife Grants that is circulating the House now—the deadline to sign is
March 14th. Congressman Kildee has already signed
on and we hope the rest of the
Michigan
delegation will join him! If you have
any questions, please refer them to Amy Spray (aspray@mucc.org
or 517-346-6484)
Tranquilizer Hunting Bill Passes Senate; Ask House Committee for their Support!
MUCC supports Senate Bill 531, introduced
by Senator McManus, which would prohibit anyone other than the
Department of Natural Resources to take game by using a
tranquilizer propelled from a bow or gun. In order to preserve
Michigan’s hunting tradition, we must
ensure that hunting in our state is practiced in a responsible
and ethical manner.
Using tranquilizers for hunting violates what MUCC calls the
“premises of fair chase”. MUCC believes that Senate Bill 531 is
an important piece of legislation and one that is needed to
protect our outdoor heritage. The bill has passed the Senate,
and has moved to the House Committee on Tourism, Outdoor
Recreation, and Natural Resources (Rep. Sheltrown-Chair).
Please call the following committee members:
Representatives Sheltrown, Ebli, Brown, Hammon, Kathleen Law,
Lindberg, Simpson, Casperson,
Walker, Stakoe, and Horn and ask them to
pass SB 531.
http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp
NRC Crossbow Disability Work Group Meets
Upon recommendation from MUCC and other
groups, the Natural Resources Commission has initiated a work
group to review and update crossbow regulations in
Michigan, which met for the first time
on March 6,
2008. The goal of this work group is to increase
recreational opportunities for persons with disabilities and to
decrease procedural red tape to qualify for this use. Many
issues are on the table for discussion at this time:
- Expanding the permit for seniors and
disabled hunters who have less than 80 percent permanent
disability or have other health conditions
- Standardizing the permit guidelines
for physician and physical therapist’s testing criteria
- Considering a temporary permit for
people unable to use other archery equipment during the
season due to accidents, broken bones, or surgery.
- Evaluating what other states may be
doing to accommodate the use of a crossbow for hunters with
disabilities and the impact on the natural resources that
may have occurred.
News from the DNR
Thomas Courchaine Named Acting U.P. Field Deputy for DNR
Thomas Courchaine, a 27-year veteran DNR employee, has been
named acting field deputy for the Upper
Peninsula. Courchaine replaces James Ekdahl, who
retired in January following 33
years of service to the
department. As Upper Peninsula
field deputy, Courchaine will serve as DNR Director Rebecca
Humphries’ chief representative in the region and will have
administrative responsibility for all department operations in
the U.P. He will be stationed at the Marquette Operations Service
Center.
Inland Fisheries Grant
Applications Due March 31
The DNR is accepting
applications for both the 2008 and 2009 Inland Fisheries Grant
programs, which offer grants up to $200,000 for local projects
that enhance the state's aquatic resources.
The Inland
Fisheries Grant program is intended to foster citizen and
community understanding and appreciation of inland fisheries
resources and to encourage participation and commitment to the
improvement and protection of inland fishing opportunities,
habitat, and fish communities. Eligible applicants include
individuals, nonprofit organizations and units of government --
including school districts. Preference is given to nonprofit
organizations and governmental units.
For more information on any of these news
summaries, please visit the DNR’s website (www.michigan.gov/dnr
under “Press Releases” in Quick Links)
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Updating our list for 2008:
If you would like to receive the policy report directly to your
email address (or if you wish to be removed from this email
list), please contact Amy Spray at
aspray@mucc.org.
MUCC is committed to
providing our members with up-to-date and accurate information
on conservation policy issues from Lansing, Washington D.C., and
around Michigan.
If you
enjoy MUCC’s biweekly policy action report, please consider
becoming a member and support our efforts to conserve Michigan's natural resources by remembering
MUCC in your contributions and planned giving.
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