MINUTES OF THE NEBRASKA NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING MARCH 13, 1997 Those in attendance were: Roy Stewart, Chair Wilbur Nelson, Member Wayne Davis, Member Mike Shaughnessy, Member Vince Kramper, Member Don Roberts, Member Don Larson, Member Leroy Pieper, Member Glen Kroese, Member Harold Klaege Dale Watermeier, Member Alan Peterson Richard Jiskra, Member Gary Dorshorst Joe Hergott, Member Dayle Williamson, Director Richard Mercer, Member Terry Kubicek, Staff Frank Bartak, Member Tom Pesek, Staff Clifford Welsh, Member Gayle Starr, Staff CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Roy Stewart in Lower Level Conference Room E of the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln, Nebraska at approximately 9:30 a.m. INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL The following items of informational material were distributed during the course of the meeting and a copy of each is attached to the file copy of the minutes. 1. Minutes of the Program Committee meeting. 2. Information from Frenchman Valley and H. & R.W. Irrigation Districts. 3. Letter from Nemaha NRD on fencing contractors. 4. Nebraska Resources Development Fund Quarterly Report. 5. Director's Report. 6. USDA News Release on New Environmental Program. 7. Comprehensive Planning Committee Minutes. 8. NRCS report to the NRC and NARD. MINUTES Motion was made by Kramper and seconded by Jiskra to approve the minutes of the January 31, 1997, Commission meeting as distributed. Motion carried. Aye: Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Davis, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Kroese, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Donaldson, Shaughnessy, Welsh, EXPENDITURES Motion was made by Roberts and seconded by Hergott to approve the Expenditure Report for January and February, 1997, as distributed. Motion carried. Aye: Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Kroese, Larson, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Donaldson, Shaughnessy DIRECTOR'S REPORT Dayle Williamson distributed his Director's Report and briefly reviewed the Lower Platte Basin Reconnaissance Study, the NACD National Convention, a floodplain structure count of the Lower Platte Basin, the USDA Study of Civil Rights Violations, and EQIP funding. Williamson then called on Vince Kramper, Dale Watermeier, Gayle Starr, Leroy Pieper, Richard Jiskra, and Don Larson who each briefly commented about the NACD convention. ADVISOR'S COMMENTS Harold Klaege, representing the Natural Resources Conservation Service, reviewed the current status of the Conservation Reserve Program and discussed the heavy workload that NRCS will have this month to implement that program. He also commented on a series of other NRCS activities and distributed a report for Commission members. ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST Vince Kramper noted that he and Dick Mercer serve on the Eligibility Committee and that they will be meeting this afternoon to review the various applications received. He noted that about $2,000,000 will be available for the Trust Board to award to applicants. LB 1085 ACTIVITIES Vince Kramper reported that the 1085 Committee had met on Wednesday afternoon and that he felt they had made good progress on developing ideas for the report. He noted that the committee will be meeting again on April 30 and he is hopeful that they can finalize their work on the first part of the report at that time and forward it for Commission review by the June Commission meeting. COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING Joe Hergott reported that the staff had provided the committee and others present at the committee meeting with an excellent demonstration of Internet capabilities and other computer activities in which the Commission is involved. He also noted that the staff had briefed the committee on several comprehensive planning and data bank activities. PROGRAM COMMITTEE Dale Watermeier reported that the committee had been briefed by Norma Sitzman of the Frenchman-Cambridge Irrigation District about the current status of the Enders Dam Project. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Kramper to modify the allocation for the Enders Dam Project by: (1) approving a grant for up to $37,064.25, not to exceed 75 percent of the project costs allocated to flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife (total of $49,419) and obligate the $37,064.25 effective immediately and (2) rescinding the low interest loan of $40,842.90 (90 percent of $45,381) previously approved for the project as a no interest loan from the Bureau of Reclamation is now available. Motion carried. Aye: Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Donaldson Watermeier added that Paul Rohrbaugh, Manager of the Nemaha NRD, had requested that the Commission grant the NRD permission to perform fencing work with its own staff at the remaining structure sites in the Upper Little Nemaha Watershed Project. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Larson to approve the request of the Little Nemaha NRD to perform fencing work with its own staff at the remaining structure sites in the Upper Little Nemaha Watershed Project. Motion carried. Aye: Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Donaldson Watermeier noted that the staff had reviewed the Resources Development Fund Financial Status Report and the Quarterly Report as well as the Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund Status Report and the Soil and Water Conservation Fund Status Report with the Committee. He also indicated that Don Larson had distributed a memorandum outlining some of his thoughts relative to the allocation of the Soil and Water Conservation Fund and that Gayle Starr had provided the committee with a memo outlining some thoughts on the administration of the Soil and Water Conservation Fund. Commission members requested that the two memorandums, along with the list of eligible practices, and a summary of the use of practices in each NRD in the last three years be made available to Commission members and NRDs for their review and input. LEGISLATIVE & BUDGET COMMITTEE Don Roberts reported that the Legislative & Budget Committee had reviewed the current status of legislative bills of interest to the Commission. He also noted that the staff had briefed the committee on the Appropriations Committee hearing held on February 25 and other related budget matters. NEXT COMMISSION MEETING The next Commission meeting will be April 30 and May 1 in Lincoln and will include the annual Resources Development Fund priority session. It was noted that the June 11-12 Commission meeting will be in O'Neill and that the Upper Elkhorn NRD is making arrangements for a tour of items of interest in that area on the 11th with the Commission meeting to be held at the Upper Elkhorn NRD office on the 12th. It was noted that lodging arrangements were being made at the Super 8 Motel in O'Neill. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:10 a.m. Chairman Director of Natural Resources