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MUCC Policy Report for May 16, 2008
This edition:
Download a printable copy of this Policy Action Report
NRC Takes Action on New Deer Regulations
Last week, the NRC acted on a number of new deer regulations, including:
- Early Antlerless Season (“Option B”): The new early antlerless season will be September 18-22, 2008 for private lands only in the 5-county TB area, as well as Iosco, Otsego, and Crawford Counties and all of Zone 3 (Southern Lower Peninsula).
- Youth and Disabled Veteran Hunt: The youth hunt on September 27-28, 2008 will now also include 100% disabled veterans and veterans who are individually unemployable as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Youth ages 10-16 are able to participate, however youth 10-11 are limited to archery only.
- Hunt for People with Disabilities: This hunt has been extended from two to four days, now October 16-19, 2008, and is available for people with a hunt from a standing vehicle permit, 100% disabled veterans and veterans who are individually unemployable, and people who are blind.
- Private Land Antlerless Licenses: The personal limit of private land antlerless licenses per hunter has been increased from three to five (with no more than two taken in Zones 1 and 2 combined). An application period and lottery system will be established for DMU’s in Zones 1 and 2.
MUCC Applauds Senate's Water Protection Milestone
MUCC would like to congratulate the Michigan Senate for its passage of the Great Lakes Regional Compact along with its implementation tool that will protect Michigan's fisheries from excessive water withdrawals.
While Senate Bill 860 has been the most contentious bill out of the withdrawal package, it will give Michigan the absolute best groundwater protection in the world, which is something the conservation community should be applauding loudly. Some in the environmental community are viewing this legislation as the glass half empty, but in reality, Senate Bill 860 ensures that Michigan's rivers and streams will forever be full because it creates a "first of its kind" groundwater regulation to protect Michigan's fisheries and natural resources. In fact, the water assessment tool included in Senate Bill 860 is already being recognized as a model regulation by the international scientific community.
For over 200 years, people have pulled water out of Michigan's rivers and streams without regard to its impact on Michigan's fisheries and other water-dependant natural resources - no more can that occur. Senate Bill 860 uses sound-scientific management principles to ensure that Michigan's fishery population will continue to thrive, while still allowing for reasonable use of water consumption.
Fortunately, Sen. Patty Birkholz and Sen. Ray Basham displayed bi-partisan leadership by recognizing the importance of this legislation on Michigan's future. They listened to the concerns of every stakeholder and crafted legislation that puts protection of Michigan's natural resources first, but also recognizes the needs of the agricultural industry, local communities, and businesses. MUCC appreciated the opportunity to help craft this landmark legislation and will look forward to working with the House to speed up its implementation for the sake of protecting Michigan's world class fishery and the economic utilization of our water and natural resources.
Great Lakes Legacy Act introduced in U.S. Senate
The Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) was created in 2002 to aid in the cleanup and removal of contaminated sediments from Areas of Concern (AOCs) across the Great Lakes Basin. AOCs are the most polluted and degraded areas in the Great Lakes, 13 of which are found in Michigan. The original act provided $270 million for critical clean-ups over the past of five years, including five Michigan projects that are either underway, completed, or in the evaluation phase. If this act is not renewed by September 30, 2008, a tremendous opportunity will be lost for habitat and water restoration in Michigan.
Last week, U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and U.S. Senator Voinovich (R-OH) with introduced the bill (S. 2994) to reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act. Michigan U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow also was an original co-sponsor of the bill.
The bill would:
- Increase authorization level to $150 million per year and re-authorize the Act through 2012
- Allow general use of GLLA funds for developing innovative technologies and techniques to clean up toxic sediments for demonstration and pilot projects
- Allow use of GLLA funds to restore aquatic habitat at GLLA sites
- Focus the use of GLLA funds on projects that accelerate the cleanup of contaminated sediments in AOCs
- Allow Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) to participate as the nonfederal sponsor for GLLA projects and contribute to non-federal share
- Allow disbursal of GLLA funds to non-federal contractors
- Add a public participation component to the existing public information program
Take Action:
Call Michigan U.S. Senators Levin and Stabenow and thank them for introducing and sponsoring S. 2994 (The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008) and urge them to take action on it before September 30, 2008. By pushing for the renewal of this act, we can spread the benefits of clean, safe water to countless more communities throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region, protecting of our drinking water, our economic future and our way of life.
Legislation to limit phosphates in dishwashing detergent introduced in U.S. Senate
Phosphorus is a naturally-occurring mineral that is a necessary nutrient in small amounts. However, too much phosphorus can cause many problems in our lakes including nuisance algae blooms, aquatic weed explosions, clogged waterways and oxygen depletion. All of these problems harm fishing, boating, swimming and other recreational opportunities, not to mention the health of our lakes. A previous limit on the amount of phosphorus in laundry detergent was put in place over 30 years ago. This limit helped to clean up many inland waterways and Lake Erie. However, when the laundry detergent limits were put in place, dishwashers and laundry “boosters” were not commonly used in households. Now that both are used in almost every household, these additional bans are necessary to keep our waters clean.
Yesterday, U.S. Senators Levin (D-MI) and Voinovich (R-OH) introduced S. 3022 to limit phosphates in dishwashing detergent by requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ban the sale of dish washing detergent that has more than 0.5% phosphorous starting in 2010.
Michigan’s Senate has passed legislation (on April 19, 2007) that would ban phosphates in automatic dish detergent in 2010 and these bills (SB 152 and SB 362) currently sit in the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee one year later.
CALL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS COMMITTEE! Tell them the Great Lakes and Michigan’s waters are important to you and you want to see these bills PASS to the House floor for a vote! For a list of representatives on this committee, call (517) 373-0015 or go to http://www.house.mi.gov/committees.asp and scroll down to select the “Great Lakes and Environment Committee.”
Pigeon River Land Use Orders Signed; Restricts Horse and Bike Use
DNR Director Humphries signed a land use order to restrict equestrian camping and riding and bicycling in the Pigeon River Country State Forest to only certain areas, roads, and pathways. These regulations are necessary to protect the wild character of the Pigeon River Country, and to achieve greater compatibility with federal grant fund requirements associated with the acquisition and management of the Pigeon River Country. A majority of the land was purchased with hunting and fishing license fee monies. The current land use order still preserves 280 miles of horseback riding opportunities and 300 miles of biking within the Pigeon.
State Forest Campgrounds Re-Opened
Thanks to an influx of $500,000 of new general fund dollars into the MDNR Recreation and Trail Program, the 20 state forest campgrounds that had previously been closed are now reopened. The campgrounds to be reopened are in the counties of Alpena, Antrim, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Luce, Marquette, Oscoda, Otsego, Schoolcraft and Wexford. For more information go to www.michigan.gov/dnr and click on Recreation and Camping.
Pseudorabies Identified in Swine on a Michigan Game Ranch
Last week, the Michigan Department of Agriculture confirmed pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection in 19 sport swine on a privately-owned cervid facility in Saginaw County. Pseudorabies is a highly contagious viral disease of swine that causes newborn piglets to die. Rarely, the disease can cause sudden death in cats and dogs and can affect cattle, sheep, and deer. The virus does not cause illness in humans and is not related to rabies.
All swine on the Saginaw County cervid facility will be captured and destroyed. Feral swine in the vicinity of the facility are being trapped and euthanized by the USDA’s Wildlife Services for disease testing. MDA encourages Michigan residents to shoot feral swine and to have MDA test the carcass for disease. Effective immediately, MDA is banning the importation of swine intended for: breeding on game ranches, for supply to game ranches, or facilities using swine for sport, hunting, or shooting.
For more information, please visit the MDA Web site at www.michigan.gov/mda or the United States Department of Agriculture Web site at .
Meeting Announcements
Jump In and Join Us For Conservation Days 2008!
Michigan United Conservation Clubs are hosting a series of unique day trips, which are hands-on experiences designed to further your understanding of current conservation issues. So come spend the day with us and take away an enhanced understanding of Michigan’s spectacular natural resources!
Wake up with Warblers
Mio, Michigan
Date: June 6th, 2008
Time: 6:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $15 for members, $45 for non-members
(Price includes Kirtland Warbler tour, light breakfast and lunch)
Come join us on June 6th for a day to remember! The nesting areas for the Kirtland Warbler are closed to public entry, so the best opportunity to see a Kirtland's warbler is on this guided tour. Upland sandpipers, clay-colored sparrows, Brewer's blackbirds, black-billed cuckoos, eastern bluebirds, Lincoln's and vesper sparrows can also be seen in the jack pine ecosystem in this guided tour.
Please R.S.V.P. by May 30th, 2008 by contacting April (517/346-6472 or abennett@mucc.org) to guarantee your spot!
Save our Wild Salmon Coming to Michigan
Please join us in welcoming MUCC’s partners from Save Our Wild Salmon as they stop in Michigan en route to Washington, DC.
Save Our Wild Salmon has hit the road to bring attention to the plight of endangered Snake River salmon and steelhead and the communities, cultures and jobs that depend upon them. Traveling 10,000 miles through 20 states, the road show, featuring a 2-ton, 25-foot fiberglass salmon, is en route to Washington DC to educate the public about the Northwest salmon crisis and encourage people to be part of the solution by delivering a strong message to Congress.
Please join them at the following events in Michigan
- Wednesday, May 21st: Ann Arbor Farmers Market, 7am-3pm
- Thursday, May 22nd: Saginaw Children’s Zoo, 12-5pm
- Friday, May 23rd: Big Fish Restaurant, Dearborn Heights, 4-8pm
- Saturday, May 24th: Eastern Market, Detroit, 7am-5pm
Background. In 1805, when Lewis and Clark first descended into the Columbia-Snake River basin, up to 16 million wild salmon and steelhead flourished here. Today, all Snake River salmon are extinct or endangered. Last year, just four sockeye salmon reached their Idaho spawning grounds. Runs teeter on the edge.
Four dams we can live without. Washington State’s lower Snake River dams have devastated salmon, destroyed a river, and wasted billions of dollars. Studies show that the little energy these dams produce can be replaced with clean, salmon-safe alternatives like wind and conservation practices. Federal agencies have spent $8 billion on failed techno-fixes, like trucking and barging fish past the dams. In 30 years, this has never worked.
How we can fix this. Dam removal will restore 140 river miles and reconnect salmon to more than 5000 miles of pristine habitat. Healthy runs of salmon can again support jobs and recreation. This will be the largest river restoration project in U.S. history, an enormous win for salmon, ecosystems, and out-of-doors lovers everywhere. Our success depends on grassroots voices and action in Congress.
What you can do:
Visit the Road Show Action Page: http://ga0.org/campaign/2008roadshow
Submit your comments on restoring Snake River salmon.
Learn more at www.wildsalmon.org
For further information on how to get involved in Michigan, please contact
Bobby Hayden, bobby@wildsalmon.org, 503.781.3383
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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