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Groundwater advisory committee meets for first time
A newly created groundwater advisory committee meets for the first
time April 1 to start developing recommendations for more fully protecting
Wisconsin's groundwater and the surface waters that depend on it.
Legislation adopted in 2004 allows the state to deny proposed high capacity
well applications if the pumping would hurt trout streams and certain other high
quality waters. It also created the advisory committee to review how the new law
is working and to recommend additional laws and rules for parts of Wisconsin
where growing water use has led to significant drops in the water table,
stirring concerns of groundwater shortages and contamination. The 14 member committee includes representatives from agricultural,
environmental, industrial, and municipal interests, as well as well drillers and
DNR. Former State Rep. DuWayne Johnsrud, co-author of the legislation along with
Senator Neal Kedzie, is one of the committee's three agricultural
representatives. Work groups composed of scientists and technical experts will
assist the committee with information.
The committee has two specific charges, but is free to address other
challenges, Ambs says. The group is charged with recommending how to manage
areas of the state with existing groundwater quantity problems, and with
providing a "report card" on how the new legislation is working. The Groundwater Advisory Committee will meet at 10 a.m. April 1 in Room G09
of the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), 101 S. Webster Street in
Madison, to discuss the committee's charge, review the legislation, and begin
understanding groundwater quantity issues in Wisconsin. Starting in April,
people will be able to go online to the DNR drinking water and groundwater Web
pages to review minutes of the committee's meetings and agendas and other
materials.
For more information contact: Todd Ambs (608) 264-6278 or Jill Jonas (608)
267-7545
Read
the DNR Announcement
June
2005 is Invasive Species Awareness Month
From:
"Amy Staffen"
<astaffen@TNC.ORG>
Dear partners in the battle against invasive
species,
Governor Jim Doyle has demonstrated a
firm commitment to address the issue of invasive species in Wisconsin by
declaring June of 2005 Invasive Species Awareness Month.
During Invasive Species Awareness Month, numerous field trips, workshops,
presentations and work parties will be held throughout the state. Now is your chance to create a statewide alliance
of public and private groups, who
will work together to inundate Wisconsin citizens with the message
"Invasive species is an important issue to confront!!"
Would you like to lead an activity during Invasive Species Awareness Month or
volunteer in the planning process? Could you publish an article in your local conservation or neighborhood group
newsletter? Go to the following
website
http://invasivespecies.wi.gov/awareness
Here, you will find guides on how to
lead various events, writing and educational resources, a link to an Invasive
Species Speaker's Bureau, and many other helpful guides to help you in planning
an Invasive Species Awareness Month event.
Register
Your Event
At the above website, an online form allows
you to register your event. Visitors to the website can then search for events
throughout the state by county and by event-type.
Provide Feedback
on the Website
http://invasivespecies.wi.gov/awareness
This is the main resource for Invasive Species
Awareness Month, and will be under continuing development during the month of
March. Let me know how the website is helpful and what components you would
like to see added or changed.
If you need assistance that can't be provided
at the website, please contact me:
Amy Staffen
Invasive Species Education Coordinator
Wisconsin Council on Invasive
Species
Office and Voice Mail:
The Nature Conservancy
633 West Main Street
Madison, WI 53703
608/251-8140 ext. 162
astaffen@TNC.ORG
Wisconsin
Farmers - Sign Up
for Grassland Reserve
Program by April 29
From: "Anderson, Renae - Madison, WI" <renae.anderson@wi.usda.gov>
Wisconsin
farmers have until April 29, 2005, to
apply for the USDA Grassland Reserve Program, said Pat
Leavenworth State Conservationist for the USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service. This year, the Grassland Reserve received over
$1 million for Wisconsin farmers.
The Grassland Reserve offers eligible producers the
opportunity to enroll a minimum of 40 acres of pasture, grassland or hayland in
permanent or long-term easements or rental contracts.
Applications received at USDA Service Centers by April 29
will be reviewed and ranked for funding this year. Those applicants that are not selected this
year will be held over and considered for funding when the 2006 funds are
available, says Leavenworth, as will
farmers who apply for the program at any time after April 29. There are currently 122 applications in
backlog.
The Wisconsin NRCS website has more information on the
Grassland Reserve, including the ranking process to help users see if they are
eligible and find out how their application will rank. It is available at www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov under
Programs, Grassland Reserve (GRP).
The Grassland Reserve helps landowners restore and protect
grassland, pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands and provides
assistance for rehabilitating grasslands. The program will conserve vulnerable
grasslands from conversion to other uses.
Wisconsin’s allocation so far is
$1,110,332 for fiscal year 2005.
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Public
Hearing April 6 is
your chance to
Defend
the Right of Cities to Take
Billboards Down
Public
Hearing in Madison, Wednesday
APRIL 6
A
public hearing on a bill
that would deny cities,
towns and villages the long-standing
right to remove objectionable
billboards and other "structures"
by the process known as
"amortization"
is scheduled on April 5
at 10:00 am in Room 300
Northeast in the State Capitol
by the Assembly Committee
on Property Rights &
Land Management.
Municipalities'
authority to control billboards
is one of the Scenic Issues
that we have identified
as very important to maintaining
the visual quality of the
environment. With amortization,
a city gives the owner of
a non-conforming structure
a period of time, usually
5 to 15 years, to upgrade
or remove the structure.
This
bill AB155 is likely to
attract a lot of votes by
lawmakers because the title
is misleading. The title
gives the impression that
the bill protects owners'
rights to buildings and
premises, whereas it really
only extends protection
to structures.
If
you go to the hearing, you
can register for or against
AB155. No need to
speak or to spend any time
at the hearing. Just put
your name on the slip. It’s
just like voting, and your
vote will carry a lot of
weight since you will be
listed along with those
who spoke.
If
you can’t get to the hearing,
please call, write or email
Rep. Sheryl Albers, chairman,
Committee on Property Rights
& Land Management. A
very short message will
do.
Representative Sheryl Albers
rep.albers@legis.state.wi.us
(608)
266-8531 or Toll-Free (877) 947-0050
Room 15
North
State Capitol
P.O. Box 8952
Madison 53708
Citizens
for a Scenic Wisconsin is
a public service organization
whose mission is to preserve
the scenic beauty of our
natural landscape and maintain
the special character of
our cities and towns. Founded
in 2000, we currently have
650 members in all parts
of the state. Our
agenda for good stewardship
of the land includes allowing
natural trees and shrubs
to flourish along highways
and limiting the use of
unsightly, over-size off-premise
signs.
Comments sought on master plan for largest state forest
Plan would guide management of Northern Highland American Legion
State Forest
A draft master plan and environmental impact statement (EIS) for
the 225,000-acre Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest is now available
for public comment through
June 1, 2005.
The plan proposes additional recreational opportunities including more
primitive and developed campsites, designation of areas for both motorized and
non-motorized activities and an expansion plan that would add high quality
aquatic communities and patches of old growth to the forest as they become
available from willing sellers.
The forest is located in Vilas, Oneida and a small portion of Iron counties
in north central Wisconsin.
For
more information See
DNR Announcement
Get
ready for Earth Day
April
22, 2005
In preparation for Earth Day 2005, April 22nd, people and organizations
around the country are developing events in their communities that will
build awareness and draw attention to environmental health issues. They are
planning rallies, festivals, community dialogues, church services,
canvassing and many other activities.
This
year's theme is "Protecting Our Children’s Health and Our Future."
Earth
Day Network has set up a
registry for organizations
to post their events. See
www.earthday.net. Click on Earth Day 2005 Events
and follow the links to join the network and register your event.
For more information on organizing an Earth Day event, see
the Earth Day Organizer’s Guide at
http://www.earthday.net/pdf/howto/edog_book.pdf. For
more information, call 202-518-0044 or
earthday@earthday.net.
Volunteers
needed for Loon Population
Survey on July 16, 2005
From:
"Brian Fox" <foxb01@northland.edu>
The Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute in Ashland. We're
currently organizing a loon population survey, which will take place on July 16
between 5:00 AM and 10:00 AM. The survey will cover 252 lakes throughout
central and northern Wisconsin and we still need volunteers to cover half of
those lakes.
Anyone interested in volunteering for this survey can sign up through our web site at http://www.northland.edu/soei/loon_population.asp.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Brian Fox
Project LoonWatch
<foxb01@northland.edu>
U.S. Wetland Grants
Program instructions available
Proposal
due dates - July 29
From:
Tim Grunewald <Tim.Grunewald@dnr.state.wi.us>
The 2005 U.S. Standard grant instructions are
now available on the NAWCA web site at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov
Click on Wetlands
Grants Program and then click on U.S. Standard Grants. The 2005 proposal due
dates are March 4 and July 29.
Technical
Assessment Question #3 is still being revised and will be posted soon.
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