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MUCC Policy Report for 10-23-07This edition:
State’s Wetlands Program in Jeopardy- DEQ Proposes to Return the State’s Wetland Program to the Federal Government.The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has proposed $15.5 million in fee increases needed to maintain existing state environmental protection program. Fee increases are being requested for air quality permits, groundwater discharges, pollution prevention and land and water permits.Failure to pass the proposed fee increases will force the DEQ to eliminate 69 jobs. The elimination of these positions means that there will not be enough DEQ staff to handle the state’s wetlands program and control of that will be returned to the federal government. While all of the program reductions are of great concern to MUCC, the organization’s greatest concern is this potential return of our wetlands program to federal control. MUCC fought long and hard for the state’s wetlands laws and are proud of the fact that Michigan is one of only two states that have a wetlands protection program. MUCC members understand the critical role that wetlands play in our game and fish resources, improving water quality, controlling erosion and as a buffer for floods. Often viewed as a resource to be filled or drained, wetlands actually are a state’s most valuable land. Returning the wetlands program to the federal government will eliminate protection over smaller wetlands and isolated wetlands. In addition, returning the program to the federal government will mean significant delays (perhaps years) in the issuance of permits, causing economic impacts at a time when additional impacts should not be tolerated. The beginning of the fiscal year is only two weeks away. Decisions about permit fees must be made before November 1, 2007. Leadership of the Michigan Senate has indicated that they will not support any fee increases. Please call your state representative and senator today. Ask them to support increases in the land and water permit fees! Tell them that protecting our wetlands, inland lakes and streams are important to you and should be important to them. Thank you for your support on this critical issue. Questions should be directed to Donna Stine at 517-346-6487 or dstne@mucc.org. Hunting and Fishing License Fee UpdateThe deadline for the legislature to resolve the deficit in the Game and Fish Protection Fund is rapidly approaching. Failure to resolve the deficit will mean at least $3 million in additional cuts to the wildlife and fisheries management and enforcement programs in the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will be necessary.Conservation groups including MUCC, The Michigan Bow Hunters Association, Ducks Unlimited, The Michigan Hunting Dog Federation, The Michigan Taxidermist Association, The Quality Deer Management, Trout Unlimited, The Michigan Trappers Association and The National Wild Turkey Federation met with key members of the Michigan House of Representative and urged them to resolve the deficit in the Game and Fish Program and supported an increase in license fees to erase the deficit. The National Rifle Association also participated in the meeting and opposed any significant increase in license fees. The conservation groups pointed out that our natural resources are Michigan’s future and expressed concern about the loss of talented leaders from our state DNR as they leave this state for more promising jobs in other states. The groups also acknowledged that MDNR has already reduced program expenditures by $8 million over the last few years to prolong the need for a license fee increase. Despite widespread concern about the future of the Game and Fish program, it appears unlikely that the legislature will pass an increase in hunting and fishing license fees or add general fund dollars to the Game and Fish Fund to offset the looming deficit. As a result, we should soon expect to see cuts in programs and services to be implemented. MUCC releases a plan for Michigan’s role in restoring the Great LakesThere is nothing more “Michigan” than our Great Lakes. The lakes not only define our geographical borders, they define our lives. And those treasured resources are in trouble. Beach closings and fish consumption warnings vividly remind us that wastes continue to foul their waters. Invasive species increasingly cause ecological havoc.But all is not doom and gloom. MUCC has just released a report Michigan’s Role in Great Lakes Protection and Restoration: Analysis and Recommendations. The report takes a critical look at the efforts taking place to protect and restore the Great Lakes and identifies 16 priority actions that Michigan must take to ensure that protection and restoration efforts are successful. The 16 recommendations made in the report include:
The Great Lakes provide more than just recreational value to the state of Michigan. They are the very lifeline of our economy. It’s dangerous to overlook the economic benefits that the lakes provide to Michigan. Michigan is the “Great Lakes State” and we must also be leader of the Great Lakes states. With the release of this report, MUCC is hoping to kick-start the restoration process and will be working with legislators, conservation groups and citizens to see that the recommendations made in this report are carried out. The recommendations made are practical, strategic and critical. But they won’t be acted upon without your involvement. Please call your legislators and tell them that the Great Lakes are important to you and you want them to share your concern about the need to restore the Great Lakes. As each initiative moves, we will alert you about the need for your involvement. Copies of the report are available by contacting muccpolicy@mucc.org or by calling April Bennett at 517-346-6472. Handgun Bills Taken UpA number of new bills have just been taken up in the Michigan Legislature that would reduce the redundancy of Michigan’s bureaucratic process for purchasing handguns, as well as making it easier for people who inherit handguns to register them.House Bills 4490, sponsored by State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93), and 4491, sponsored by Rep. Joel Sheltrown (D-103) focus on the post-purchase process by seeking to repeal the required “safety inspection” for newly-obtained handguns, as well as requiring law enforcement agencies to destroy safety inspection records on file. Currently, after obtaining the needed applications and purchase permits and going through a federal and state background check, a handgun purchaser must take an added step to get their firearm reviewed by local law enforcement. While this step may have served a more substantive purpose at one time, they are now limited to a cursory inspection and no check of operational of mechanical defects are made. These bills eliminate the duplicative process of obtaining the “safety certificate” (RI-11), since the same information is already captured in the application and license to purchase a pistol (RI-10) and the pistol sales record (RI-60). House Bills 5039, sponsored by State Representative Rick Jones (R-71), and 5040, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Mayes (D-96) focus on the process to register a handgun that was not acquired through a firearm dealer, such as in the case of a gift or inheritance. These bills establish a procedure for the situation in which a person without a license (who is not otherwise exempt) presents a pistol for a safety inspection. Whether the unlicensed individual may keep possession of the pistol while seeking a license would depend on whether the police or the sheriff's department have reason to believe that the person is ineligible to possess a pistol. If the local law enforcement agency has no reason to believe that the person is ineligible, the department would inspect the pistol and issue a dated safety certificate that would serve as a limited license while the owner obtained the proper license. H.B. 5040 allows for the legal transport of an unloaded pistol to the local law enforcement agency for the purpose of obtaining a safety certificate. Resource Policy Specialist Amy Spray will be following these bills and will alert you to any changes. Please let your legislators know that you support reducing the bureaucracy for responsible gun owners! Anti-Hunting Movements around the State; MUCC takes Action!MUCC alerted you in the last policy report that the Oxford Township (Oakland County) board was conducting a public meeting regarding the possibility of prohibiting firearm hunting and discharge in a portion of the township. Thanks to the tremendous turnout and response from MUCC members, the proposal was defeated.In similar action last week, Meridian Township (Ingham County) was proposing to ban the possession and discharge of firearms on all of their publicly-owned land preservation areas in the township, totaling nearly 600 acres. MUCC staff reminded the board of the fact that no local unit of government can preempt state law to regulate the possession of firearms and the discharge of firearms can only be banned through a DNR-led investigation and public hearing. Upon learning this, the township board postponed action on this item until further information could be gathered. The Meridian Township board meets twice monthly on the first and third Tuesdays of each month; MUCC will alert members if any further action is needed. The Twin Lakes area in Muskegon County has had several hunter harassment issues during this waterfowl season. There are now rumblings of hunting bans on three of the lakes in the area. We will also keep you informed on this situation. If your local club finds out about any further local anti-hunting measures being considered around the state, please call the policy staff right away. As you can see from our success in Oxford Township, MUCC members make a difference! Tribal Negotiations CompleteThe agreement clarifies the scope of the tribes’ hunting, fishing and gathering rights on northern land, as defined by the U.S.–Tribal Treaty of 1836. The consent decree was released to the public on Sept. 26. For more information, please review the press release and Frequently Asked Questions document provided on MUCC’s website at: http://www.mucc.org/policy/tribal/release.php.The Department of Natural Resources will host six public meetings in the next two weeks to discuss the recent agreement. The meetings scheduled include:
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MUCC Policy Action Report
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