MUCC August Policy Insider

By Justin Tomei | August 16, 2022 |

MUCC Our traditional email campaigns have proven to be a valuable and effective tool for reaching legislators, but our tracking shows that text messages to our members prove to be an even more effective method of communication. If you click this link, fill out the form with your cell phone number, make sure both boxes…

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August NRC Recap

By Justin Tomei | August 15, 2022 |

Commissioners heard an ask from Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) to allow the purchase of a second hunt 234 turkey tag at the August Natural Resources Commission meeting.. Justin Tomei, MUCC policy assistant, asked commissioners to contemplate a second turkey tag for Michigan hunters using the best available science. According to Tomei, allowing hunters to…

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August NRC Preview

By Justin Tomei | August 2, 2022 |

Turkey talk and a handful of fisheries orders up for information make up a busy August Natural Resource Commission (NRC) meeting. The meeting is scheduled for next Thursday, August 11th at 9 a.m. The meeting will take place at the Outdoor Adventure Center, located at 1801 Atwater St. in Detroit. There are four fisheries orders…

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A Monarch Kerfuffle, Implications of an ESA Listing

By Justin Tomei | July 26, 2022 |

Last week, an article headlined “Monarch butterflies now classified as endangered” set conservation social media on fire. Problem is it was (mostly) clickbait. The monarch butterfly has not been listed as an endangered species under the endangered species act (ESA), and as such they do not receive the legal ESA protections that go with it.…

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MUCC Submits Comments on 2022 Draft Wolf Management Plan, Public Comments Due by August 4th

By Justin Tomei | July 26, 2022 |

On Tuesday, Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) submitted to the Department of Natural Resources comments on the 2022 Draft Michigan Wolf Management Plan.  MUCC, representing its 40,000 members and 200 member clubs, submitted to DNR Director Dan Eichinger a series of recommendations to improve the plan for Michigan’s hunters, trappers, and conservationists. The full letter…

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Michigan DNR Receives Unprecedented General Fund Appropriations

By Justin Tomei | July 25, 2022 |

Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the general government appropriation legislation for fiscal year 2023 (FY23) beginning October 1, 2022. The appropriation provides unprecedented levels of general fund investment for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  MUCC views much of this money as transformational for the department, particularly for fisheries division, said Michigan United Conservation…

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July Natural Resources Commission Recap, Transparency Issues a Focus for MUCC

By Justin Tomei | July 18, 2022 |

Lack of transparency was a focal point for MUCC at July’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting. Michigan United Conservation Clubs Executive Director Amy Trotter expressed the organization’s frustration and concern with commission and department processes in recent months. Trotter’s testimony pointed towards the recent deer regulation process and sunset of regulations in the CWD experiment…

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RETURN: A generationally foolish idea

By Justin Tomei | July 7, 2022 |

Every now and again you read something that seems so asinine you genuinely cannot believe it. Today, that is H.R. 8167 sponsored by Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-9). The bill would remove the excise tax from firearms, ammunition, bows, arrows and fishing equipment. Currently, the legislation has received 58 Republican co-sponsors. None of the Michigan…

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