Posts Tagged ‘michigan’
Great American Outdoors Act Becomes Law
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) became law today when the president signed this historic conservation legislation. This landmark bill will protect public lands and expand recreational opportunities for decades to come. GAOA will permanently dedicate full funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and establish the National Parks and Public Land Legacy…
Read MoreJudge rules to extend decree, denies expanding tribal fishing zones
The 2000 Great Lakes Consent Decree between the state, the federal government and five sovereign Native American tribes has been extended per an order handed down by a federal judge last week. In early July, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians filed a motion in federal court in the Western District of Michigan…
Read MoreGreat American Outdoors Act Passes Congress!
The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422/H.R.7092 & H.R.1957) passed out of the House of Representatives by a margin of 310-107 on Wednesday. We are now one important step closer to full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addressing the deferred maintenance backlog on federal public lands. The LWCF has only…
Read MoreCourt filing could end Great Lakes fishing as we know it
The 2000 Great Lakes Consent Decree is set to expire in August, and a court proceeding filed by one Upper Peninsula tribe could end sportfishing as we know it in much of the Great Lakes. Since 1985, a large portion of Michigan’s Great Lakes fishery has been divided up under an agreement between five of…
Read MorePheasant Release Called Off for 2020, Hope for Stamp Still Stands
A second year of a pheasant release pilot program in Michigan will not happen in fall 2020 due to economic implications from COVID-19, but hope for a long-term funding source is not gone. Given Michigan’s projected budget shortfall of about $7 billion over the next two years from COVID-19 fallout, state departments are being forced…
Read MoreOutdoor shooting ranges open to public
Outdoor shooting ranges in Michigan were allowed to open their doors to the public this week per one of the governor’s newest executive orders. MUCC has been working on reopening outdoor ranges to the public since the beginning of the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive orders, including writing a letter to the governor’s office and…
Read MoreE-NRC Meeting Rules on a Full Agenda
Written by Charlie Booher, MUCC Policy Intern Beavers, otters, electric traps, and elk took center stage at the April Natural Resources Committee (NRC) meeting. The most recent NRC meeting took place online on April 16, and a full agenda for the day can be found here. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) hosted the…
Read MoreMUCC suit requests immediate injunction against criminalization of motorized boating
Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) filed a complaint in United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan on Sunday challenging the criminal prohibition against motorboat use recently announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The complaint alleges Whitmer and Department of Natural Resources Director Daniel Eichinger’s application of EO 2020-42 to prohibit motorboat use is…
Read MoreNRC to Meet Online in April with a Full Agenda
Written by Charlie Booher, MUCC Policy Intern The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is slated to take action on topics from lake trout and crayfish to elk, ducks and platform hunting. This unique meeting of the NRC will take place virtually on April 16, and a full agenda for the day can be found here. The…
Read MoreNRC to Rule on Furbearers, Electronic Trap Monitors at March Meeting
Written by Charlie Booher, MUCC Policy Intern The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is slated to take action on furbearer and electronic trap monitoring regulations, as well as discuss elk and migratory bird seasons. The meeting will take place on March 19, at the Lansing Community College Gannon Building in the Michigan Room (422 North Washington…
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