Michigan Natural Resources Commission to Meet Sept. 13 at Lansing Center
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing. All events will be held in Rooms 203-205. In order to accommodate an anticipated large number of public appearances, the location of the meeting has changed from the site that had previously been announced.
The day begins at 10:30 a.m. with a meeting of the Marketing and Outreach Advisory Committee. Committee members will be updated on the Youth Advisory Council, opportunities to stream NRC meetings online, and the system used for communicating Department of Natural Resources messages to the public. In addition, the committee will receive a report on using social media for conducting surveys.
At 1 p.m., the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will receive reports from the Fisheries Division and Wildlife Division chiefs, discuss fisheries regulations, learn about Lake Michigan salmon stocking strategies, and discuss goose hunting at the Fennville Farm Unit of the Allegan State Game Area.
At 3 p.m., Safari Club International will present appreciation awards to those who were drawn from a pool of hunters who responded to Wildlife Division mail surveys.
Immediately following the presentations, Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh will report to the Committee of the Whole. As part of the director’s report, representatives from the DNR and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will review policies and procedures on oil and gas leasing and development in Michigan. The committee will also receive an update on legislation affecting the department.
Public appearances before the NRC will begin immediately following the Committee of the Whole. Those wishing to make public comments to the NRC should contact Deb Whipple, executive assistant to the NRC, at 517-373-2352 or whippled1@michigan.gov to register. Registration is also available at the meeting.
Please note: In order to accommodate a large number of scheduled speakers at the Sept. 13 meeting, the NRC is requesting that speakers on the same topic designate a spokesperson to speak on their behalf. Without a designated spokesperson, individual speakers will be limited in their remarks before the commission to three minutes each. This time limit is in keeping with NRC Public Appearance Guidelines.
The regular NRC meeting will begin immediately following public appearances.
Items eligible for action by Director Creagh include a number of fisheries orders dealing with hook sizes, spawning closures, designated trout streams and the use of dip nets on certain inland streams. Also eligible for action by Creagh is a proposed oil and gas lease auction to be held in October, as 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.
