February 2023 Agenda and Meeting Materials

View Wisconsin Natural Resources Board agendas, meeting calendar, webcasts, biographies and public participation info online at: http://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb/overview.html

Public Participation Deadline: NRB Liaison receipt of your request to testify and/or written comment is 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. 

The Natural Resources Board will meet in-person. Remote testimony from the public via Zoom may be accepted for this meeting. In person public appearances are also welcome. Members of the public can submit their request to testify remotely, in person, or their written comments by the posted deadline date for Board consideration.

The public is encouraged to watch the Board meeting via YouTube here:

https://youtube.com/live/7x84XTqrZCI

WISCONSIN NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD

AGENDA

For meeting at:
Room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2)
101 South Webster Street
Madison, Wisconsin
Wednesday, February 22, 2023

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, in public meeting room G09, State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 South Webster Street Madison, Wisconsin. Board will act on items 1-4 and 7 as listed on the agenda.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that matters concerning natural resource issues or the Department’s program responsibilities or operations specified in the Wisconsin Statutes, which arise after publication of this agenda may be added to the agenda and publicly noticed no less than two hours before the scheduled board meeting, if the Board Chair determines that the matter is urgent.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
   1. Calling the roll
   2. Secretary’s Remarks
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
   3. Approval of agenda for February 22, 2023

2. CONSENT
   1. Approval of brief of action from January 25, 2023
   2. Acknowledgement of Donation – Friends of Crex donated $25,000 to support LTEs that work at Crex Meadows
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
   3. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin will donate $28,931.92 for management of Pool 4 – Pierce County Islands Wildlife Area and $18,800 to support Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
   4. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Inc. will donate $35,773.80. This donation will be used to support resources within the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Fund.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
   5. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) donated $18,124.00. This donation will be used to fund elk research in the state of Wisconsin, most frequently to pay data fees on electronic monitoring collars.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
   6. Request that the Board authorize a preliminary public hearing and comment period for the Statement of Scope for Board Order FH-01-23, for proposed rules affecting chapters NR 25, related to Lake Michigan trawling regulations.
      (Meredith Penthorn, Fisheries Management Policy Specialist)

3. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION CONCERNING ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA
4. ACTION ITEMS
   SCOPE STATEMENTS (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)
   1. Request that the Board approve the Statement of Scope for Board Order WM-18-22 and conditionally approve the public hearing notice and notice of submittal of proposed rules to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse, for proposed rules affecting chapters NR 10 and 45 related to the 2023 Wildlife Management Spring Hearing rule.
      (Scott Karel, Wildlife Policy Specialist)
   OTHER APPROVALS (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)
   2. Request approval of the Central Sand Plains Regional Master Plan
      (Phil Rynish, Property Planning Section Chief)

5. OPEN FORUM (Testimony that pertains to topics not on the meeting agenda or not in litigation) – after items 1-4 or following morning break at approximately 10:15. Please refer to page 3 of the agenda for required pre-registration information and protocol.
6. INFORMATION ITEMS (Written Comment Welcome)
   1. The Rebecca Wallace Award
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary; Phil Rynish, Property Planning Section Chief; Dan Baumann, Secretary’s Director, West Central Region)
   2. Overview of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress
      (Kari Lee-Zimmermann, Wisconsin Conservation Congress Liaison)
   3. Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing Questions 2023
      (Rob Bohmann, Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chair)
   4. Overview of Stewardship Funding
      (Steven Little, Assistant Deputy Secretary)
   5. Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board Update
      (Charlie Henriksen, Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board Chair)

7. DEPARTMENT SECRETARY’S MATTERS
   1. RETIREMENT RECOGNITION – Action
      1. Wayne E. Hasel, Parks and Recreation, 16 years
      2. Randahl J. Besonen, Fisheries Management, 19 years
      3. Warden Dale J. Hochhausen, Public Safety and Resource Protection, 25 years
      4. Richard E. Rosen, Public Safety and Resource Protection, 28 years
      5. Reagan S. Arndt, Parks and Recreation, 30 years
      6. Wayne A. Utke, Technical Services, 33 years
      7. Philip L. Nawrocki, Technical Services, 41 years
   2. DEPARTMENT SECRETARY’S MATTERS – Informational
      1. Acts of the Department Secretary – Real Estate Transactions
      2. Deer Season Recruitment Advertisements – Katie Grant

8. BOARD MEMBERS’ MATTERS
   1. Board Member Spring Hearing Questions
   2. Board Member Matters

The public is welcome to view the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting via YouTube.  The NRB also provides opportunities for citizens to testify and to submit written comment about issues that come before the NRB. See complete information on public participation at Board meetings at http://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb/public.html.

The public is encouraged to watch the Board meeting via YouTube here:

https://youtube.com/live/7x84XTqrZCI

The following meeting resources also are available:  Agenda Item Packets (also known as green sheet packages are linked to the corresponding item on the website/html meeting agenda at https://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb/ -- click on the blue “View agendas” button then scroll down.), supporting documents, and public comment. 

Live transcription of the webcast is autogenerated and not a legal record of the Board Meeting. The approved Brief of Action and meeting recording constitute the official Board’s minutes.

Public Appearance protocol: Remote testimony from the public via Zoom may be accepted for this meeting. In person public appearances are also welcome. Members of the public can submit their request to testify remotely or their written comments by the posted deadline date for Board consideration. You must be pre-registered to testify. Please include your name, daytime phone number, email address, city of residence, agenda item you request to testify on (include topic for item 5-Open Forum), and name of organization you will represent (if none, state “self”). Confirmed speakers will receive meeting logistics via email.  Those confirmed to testify on a specific agenda item will testify on that item prior to vote. Please review:  https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/about/NRB/public.html.

NOTE:  The Board welcomes citizen input on matters of natural resources management and Department programs and policies.  Comments concerning any individual’s personal information or personal business are not appropriate and will not be allowed.

The time for item 5. – Open Forum - will be after items 1-4 or immediately following morning break at approximately 10:15.   If you request to testify during Open Forum, please be ready to speak when the Board takes up this item.  Each speaker will have three minutes to give their testimony; however, the Board Chair has final discretion on time limit.

The following is from the Board’s meeting guidelines: Only one speaker per organization.  Testimony that threatens, intimidates, or includes disparaging comments about Board Members, department staff, and other members of the public will not be allowed.  Those that do so may be removed from the meeting or remote location. 

Please contact Ashley Bystol, NRB Liaison, at 608-267-7420 or by email at dnrnrbliaison@wisconsin.gov with NRB related questions, to request information, submit written comments, or to register to testify at a meeting.

Public Participation Deadline:  NRB Liaison receipt of your request to testify and/or written comment is 11:00 a.m. on February 15, 2023.

The NRB and Department of Natural Resources are committed to serving people with disabilities. Please contact the NRB Liaison to request NRB information in an alternative format.