Conservation Tippets

by Bryan Burroughs, Michigan TU Executive Director

Changes in DNR & EGLE Leadership

The New Year brought several changes to the leadership positions for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Dan Eichinger, the DNR director, was assigned the role of acting director for EGLE, replacing Leisel Clark. Backfilling in the DNR was accomplished by Deputy Director Shannon Lott becoming the new acting director of the DNR.

Lott worked in various roles within the DNR in Wildlife and Forestry Divisions before becoming the DNR’s deputy director four years ago. Scott Whitcomb (former Pigeon River Country supervisor and Headwaters TU Chapter member) was appointed deputy director. No official information was provided on the planned longevity of these shifts.

Also, for those of you who fish the Au Sable watershed, the DNR hired a new fishery biologist responsible for those fisheries. Matt Klungle was hired to fill that role replacing Tim Cwalinski, who took over the role of northern Lake Huron regional supervisor because of the retirement of Dave Borgeson, Jr. Klungle received his M.S. degree from MSU studying the effects of whole tree placements in the Au Sable and Manistee rivers, before spending over 15 years in various fisheries roles in the western U.S.

Reappointments to the Natural Resources Commission

In early February, the governor’s office announced two reappointments to the NRC. Current commissioner Dave Nyberg, who finished his first term appointment, was appointed for a second term. John Walters, who had formerly served as a commissioner, but had vacated his first appointment tenure due to a move out of state, was reappointed to the NRC. Walters replaces Keith Creagh, former DNR director, who completed his appointment term to the NRC.

Both of these appointees are familiar to TU and proven in the role of NRC commissioners. They have approached NRC duties with energy, commitment, subject-matter depth, and outstanding professionalism in the past and can be expected to with their new terms.

America the Beautiful Challenge Comes to Michigan

The America the Beautiful Challenge is a unique new program that offers competitive grant funding for natural resource conservation purposes. The funding comes from a variety of sources, including federal grants, and is administered through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. In year one of the program, non-governmental organizations were not directly eligible to apply.

The Michigan DNR Fisheries Division reached out to several stream restoration partners and worked collaboratively to develop and submit a competitive grant application focused on watershed enhancement. Many of the projects included were dam removals, heavily concentrated on Fisheries Division-owned dams, but also several other dams around the state.

Projects also include several road-stream crossing replacements, bringing about $5 million in funding to work on Michigan watersheds over the next several years. Michigan TU will be involved with quite a few stream crossing and dam removal projects. Two dam removals are planned for the Au Sable River watershed, several in Southwest Michigan, and many in the Upper Peninsula. Other partners will work on projects in watersheds like the Boardman, Muskegon, and Manistee rivers.

EGLE Adding a New Position

Stream restoration projects have increased in complexity and require specialization and experience to design and navigate successfully. That specialization and expertise are also needed and beneficial for those reviewing and making decisions on permits for these projects.

EGLE has created a new position for such a specialist to help facilitate this work. EGLE is in the hiring process as of this writing and may have a candidate on board by the time this reaches your mailbox. The new position has the potential to help the work Michigan TU does and allows us to do more by streamlining and strengthening the processes required for these projects.

New Great Lakes Tribal Fishing Consent Decree Proposed

Negotiations towards a new Great Lakes fishing consent decree have been underway for many years. Non-disclosure agreements between the parties protected the substance of those negotiations. A new proposed consent decree was submitted to the court by a majority of the parties and is now reviewable by the public. One of the tribes has objected to the proposed decree and is pursuing its legal options not to be bound by it and to self-regulate.

The Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources, a group of angling and conservation organizations, has filed objections to the proposed decree as an amicus in the case. To learn more about the proposed decree, the DNR has assembled a webpage with basic information and FAQs. The CPMR also has a website with additional info (www.protectmiresources.com).

As this agreement will govern much of the management of Great Lakes fisheries for the next 24 years, it is worth reviewing the status of this proposed consent decree.