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MUCC Policy Report for 11-19-07This edition:
Notice: Potential Hunting Ban on Three Lakes in Dalton Township, Muskegon County The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a public hearing on Dec. 13th at 7p.m. at Dalton Township Hall (1616 E. Riley-Thompson), on a waterfowl hunting issue on three lakes within the township. The hearing comes at the request of the Dalton Township board, which voted unanimously last month to recommend a ban on hunting on Twin Lake, Middle Lake and West Lake. Currently, the three lakes are held to the same standard as other lakes -- hunting is permitted from water or land, as long as hunters remain at least 150 yards from any occupied dwelling. If you or someone you know lives in this area, please plan on attending to protect our sportsmen’s heritage! Hunters Can Help Eliminate Feral Swine As you might have read in November’s edition of Michigan Out-of-Doors or saw on the TV program this week, feral swine (free-ranging wild pigs) have the potential to become another major problem for both farmers and hunters. Feral swine have been identified in more than half of the counties in Michigan and can carry diseases to wildlife and livestock, damage agricultural crops, and destroy wildlife habitat. In addition, they compete with livestock and native wildlife for food resources and even prey on young wildlife. The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are calling on hunters to help with the elimination of feral swine; any person holding a valid hunting license can shoot feral swine in the 50 counties where it has been permitted. Please be on the lookout for feral swine while you are out in your blind this fall! Feral swine may be carrying diseases that can impact both livestock and wildlife and hunters can assist the state in gathering this information by obtaining free blood collection kits and gathering blood after shooting a pig. For more information, blood testing kits, or plans to build feral swine traps, please contact Tim Wilson at the USDA-Wildlife Services office in Okemos, MI (517-336-1928, timothy.s.wilson@aphis.usda.gov).
DNR Stepping up Enforcement to Combat TB Additional conservation officers are being reassigned to patrol the seven-county bovine tuberculosis (TB) surveillance area during the 2007 firearms deer season. This zone, which includes Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle Counties, has special regulations in place as part of the state’s strategy to eliminate TB in deer and elk. Feeding and baiting is illegal in these counties. If you are aware of any white-tailed deer baiting or feeding violations in this area, please call the Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 800-292-7800. Hunters taking deer in this seven-county area or surrounding counties should turn in the deer’s head for TB testing. The DNR especially needs heads tested from deer taken in Iosco, Ogemaw, Roscommon, and Crawford Counties to meet their testing quotas. You can find a link to deer check station locations statewide on the front page of the DNR’s website: www.michigan.gov/dnr. Final Wolf Management Plan MUCC has submitted comments on the draft Michigan Wolf Management Plan and the time for public review and comment on the draft plan is now closed. The original Michigan wolf plan was finalized in 1997. Since that time, the wolf population size and distribution has expanded, the understanding of wolf biology has improved, and focus has shifted from biological recovery toward management. In preparation for the federal delisting of the wolf from the endangered/threatened species list, the DNR pulled together a group of stakeholders to form the Wolf Management Roundtable, of which MUCC was a member, to develop guiding principles for the development of this plan. Overall, MUCC is supportive of the document in that the draft plan reflects the Roundtable’s discussions; however, we did submit some specific questions and concerns with the plan. We will alert you when the final plan is released in early 2008; you may view the draft plan at: http://www.michigandnr.com/ House and Senate override President Bush’s Veto of WRDA The Water Resources Development Act, which provides the long sought-after funding for the Asian carp barriers, was vetoed by President Bush on Nov. 2, 2007, but both the House and Senate were able to get the majority needed to override President Bush’s veto. WRDA became law with the Senate’s vote on Nov. 8, 2007. Michigan’s entire Congressional delegation voted in support of WRDA to override President Bush’s veto. WRDA also contains important provisions that would help protect and restore the Great Lakes, including the reauthorization of the Great Lakes Tributary Modeling Program, the Great Lakes Remedial Action Plan Program and improvements to the Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration Program. It will also provide reforms to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, ensuring that they do business in an efficient, effective and environmentally friendly manner. Thank you to all our members who made calls. Your voiced helped pass this critical legislation! Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord This week, Governor Granholm joined the governors from eight other Midwestern states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, and South Dakota, and the Premier of Manitoba) in signing the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord. The accord establishes a regional cap and trade system in an effort to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases while growing the area’s economy. The governors also adopted the Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform. The platform establishes shared goals for the Midwest region, including specific timelines for the advancement of energy efficiency, the promotion of bio-based products, the production of renewable electricity and the development of advanced coal and carbon capture and storage. In addition, Governor Granholm announced the creation of the Michigan Climate Action Council and asked MUCC to participate in the Council. The Council is charged with the responsibility of creating a comprehensive climate action plan for the state with a deadline of December 31, 2008. These efforts are important for Michigan’s wildlife, environment and economy. Climate change is already affecting Michigan’s natural resources. For example, Great Lakes researchers are extremely concerned with the impact of late or no Great Lakes ice that has occurred in the last few years and how that affects oxygen supplies in the Great Lakes. Migration patterns for ducks, geese and songbirds are starting to change and their food sources, especially in earlier spring, are not changing at the same pace. The lack of sustaining cold temperatures is also causing forest pests to increase. Senate Recycling and Solid Waste Package Introduced A package of 19 recycling and solid waste-related bills was just introduced in the Michigan Senate as part of Senate Republican’s Green Michigan Initiative. Senate Bills 889-907 cover many issues and include legislation to help control litter, provide incentives for landfill methane gas recovery and utilization, and improve the recycling rate in Michigan through a combination of public education, marketing campaigns, and regulations. They also would create a state recycling advisory council and the office of the state recycling coordinator within the Department of Environmental Quality. MUCC is currently reviewing the details of this package and will keep you updated on the progress of these bills and actions you can take on them. |
MUCC Policy Action Report
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