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May 2023 Agenda and Meeting Materials

Wisconsin Natural Resources Board

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, May 17, 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/78WkA_VUVtI?feature=share

WISCONSIN NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD

AGENDA

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

Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Wednesday, May 24, 2023

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board will have a social and dinner gathering with the Wisconsin Conservation Congress District Leadership Council at the Hilton Monona Terrace Hotel, 9 E Wilson St, Madison, WI, 53703.  1) At approximately 5:00 p.m. the Board and Conservation Congress Members will meet in the hotel lounge for a social hour. 2) At approximately 6:00 p.m. the Board and Conservation Congress Members will meet for dinner in the LaFollette room. No action will be taken.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 24, 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 at approximately noon on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board may break for lunch in Room G27. No action will be taken.

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. Approval of agenda for May 24, 2023
    3. Secretary’s Remarks
  2. CONSENT
    1. Approval of brief of action from April 12, 2023
    2. Acknowledgement of Donation - The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin will donate $67,500 to the Department to support management of 11 state natural areas in the driftless and southwest regions of the state.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
    3. Acknowledgement of Donation - The Friends of Brunet Island State Park would like to donate $16,878.58, in the form of a Yamaha Viking Ranch EPS UTV, that will be used by camp hosts and staff, for campground and day use area maintenance, at Brunet Island State Park, in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
    4. Acknowledgement of Donation – The Friends of Lapham Peak Unit – Kettle Moraine State Forest, Inc. are donating a newly constructed building valued at $2,400,000 to Kettle Moraine State Forest – Lapham Peak Unit, located in Waukesha County, WI. This donation of a completed building project includes the completed construction of the building (Lapham Lodge), site infrastructure, the building endowment, and maintenance and operations funding for up to five years. The Friends of Lapham Peak are responsible for all project fundraising, design, project coordination and construction of the project and will donate a completed building project to the Department.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
    5. Acknowledgement of Donation - The Friends of Yellowstone Lake State Park will donate an ADA accessible kayak launch area with an estimated value of $23,756.79 to Yellowstone Lake State Park, Lafayette County, WI. The accessible kayak launch area will provide lake access to wheelchair users and others who need easily accessibly launching docks with support rails.
      (Adam Payne, Department Secretary)
    6. Request that the Board authorize a preliminary public hearing and comment period for the Statement of Scope for Emergency Board Order FH-07-23 (E) and FH-08-23 (E) for proposed rules affecting chapter NR 20 related to Minocqua Chain walleye harvest regulations.
      (Meredith Penthorn, Fisheries Management Policy Specialist)
  3. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION CONCERNING ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA
  4. ACTION ITEMS
    ADOPTION (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)
    1. Request adoption of Board Order DG-08-22, proposed rules affecting chapter NR 812 related to the use of new cement formulations for the construction of water wells.
      (Marty Nessman, Private Water Supply Section Chief)
    2. Request adoption of germane modifications to Board Order CF-12-19, proposed rule affecting chapter NR 162, for the administration, procedures, and implementation of the Clean Water Fund Program.
      (Matt Marcum, Environmental Loans Section Chief)
    3. Request adoption of germane modifications to Board Order CF-13-19, proposed rule affecting chapter NR 166, for the administration, procedures, and implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program.
      (Matt Marcum, Environmental Loans Section Chief)
    4. Request adoption of Board Order FH-16-20, proposed rules affecting chapter NR 25 related to the chapter NR 25 reorganization rule.
      (Meredith Penthorn, Fisheries Management Policy Specialist)
  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 pages 3 and 4 of agenda for required pre-registration information and protocol.
  6. INFORMATION ITEMS (Written Comment Welcome)
    1. Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing Advisory Question Summary and Convention Report.
      (Chair, Wisconsin Conservation Congress)
    2. Results of input on the Bureau of Fisheries Management's 2023 spring fish and wildlife meeting agenda of questions.
      (Meredith Penthorn, Fisheries Management Policy Specialist)
    3. Results of input on the Bureau of Wildlife Management's 2023 spring fish & wildlife meeting agenda of rule questions.
      (Scott Karel, Wildlife Policy Specialist)
    4. Update on Wisconsin’s elk herds and the 2023 Northern Elk Herd season quotas.
      (Josh Spiegel, Wildlife Biologist)
    5. Wisconsin Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse.
      (Adrian Stocks, Water Quality Program Director)
    6. Updates on the 2022 CWD season.
      (Jasmine Batten, Wildlife Health Section Supervisor)
  7. DEPARTMENT SECRETARY’S MATTERS
    1. RETIREMENT RECOGNITION – Action
      1. Jerry W. Stoltenberg, Forestry, 36 years
      2. Jacqueline S. (Jackie) Scharfenberg, Parks and Recreation, 30 years
      3. Maggie L. Kailhofer, Parks and Recreation, 27 years
    2. DEPARTMENT SECRETARY’S MATTERS – Informational
      1. Acts of the Department Secretary – Real Estate Transactions
  8. BOARD MEMBERS’ MATTERS
    1. 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/78WkA_VUVtI?feature=share

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, to submit written comments, and 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 May 17, 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.