Michigan Natural Resources Commission to Meet Feb. 9 in Dearborn
OutdoorHub 02.07.12
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Feb. 9 at the Hyatt Regency,600 Town Center Drive in Dearborn. All meetings will be held on the Hyatt’s second floor in Room Marquis Room A & B.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the commission’s Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee will hear reports from DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson and others on a range of parks issues. Included will be a discussion of the expanded role of the committee to include state forest campgrounds, which recently moved under the authority of theDNRParksand Recreation Division, as well as an update on the Recreation Passport, the funding mechanism for state parks instituted in October 2010.
At 11:30p.m. the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will hear from Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason on the Wildlife Division budget and other issues. Acting Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter will update the committee on the successful 2012BlackLakesturgeon fishing season.
The Committee of the Whole meets at 2 p.m. DNR Director Rodney Stokes will report to the commission on department initiatives.
At 3 p.m. the commission will recognize the winners of the Pure Michigan Hunt drawing. Three hunters were randomly selected from among 10,864 applicants who bought 29,408 chances for the award. The winners will receive licenses to hunt bear, turkey, deer, elk and waterfowl. In addition, each will receive a rifle, crossbow and other items donated by Michigan companies and organizations.
Public appearance before the NRC will begin immediately following the award presentations. Persons wishing to give public comments to the NRC should contact Debbie Whipple, executive assistant to the NRC, at 517-373-2352 or whippled1@michigan.gov, to register. Registration is also available at the meeting location.
Eligible for NRC action is the final approval of the Mentored Youth Hunting program. State laws passed last year charged the NRC with creating the program and established a workgroup to formulate recommendations to the commission. If approved by the commission, the Mentored Youth Hunting Program would begin March 1.
Director Stokes will inform the commission about a proposed order that would regulate the use of the Lapeer State Game Area inLapeerCountyand a proposed order to regulate the use of state forest campgrounds.
Items eligible for action by Director Stokes include an order on commercial fishing onLake Erieas well as seven land transactions.
For more information on the NRC, including this meeting’s agenda, informational memos and past meeting minutes, go to www.michigan.gov/nrc.
