MINUTES OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING MAY 1, 1997 Those present were: Roy Stewart, Chair Jerry Mathiasen Don Roberts, Member Don Meisner Joe Hergott, Member Marlin Petermann Don Larson, Member Richard Sklenar Glen Kroese, Member Kent Miller Mike Shaughnessy, Member Paul Zillig Vince Kramper, Member Bob Hilske Frank Bartak, Member Milton Moravec Wayne Davis, Member Ron Fleecs Clifford Welsh, Member Dayle Williamson, Director Richard Mercer, Member Terry Kubicek, Staff Dale Watermeier, Member Jim Cook, Staff Richard Jiskra, Member Tom Pesek, Staff Beverly Donaldson, Member Gayle Starr, Staff LeRoy Pieper, Member CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order in Lower Level Conference Room E of the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln, Nebraska by Commission Chair, Roy Stewart, at approximately 10:10 a.m. PUBLIC NOTICE Notice was placed in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR on April 23, 1997, notifying the public of the meeting. 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. Soil & Water Conservation Fund - Expenditures by Month 1989- 97. 2. Status of Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund. 3. Nebraska Resources Development Fund Present Financial Status. 4. Director's Report. 5. Comprehensive Planning Committee Meeting Minutes. 6. Minutes of the Program Committee Meeting. 7. NRCS Report to NRC and NARD. MINUTES Motion was made by Kramper and seconded by Jiskra to approve the minutes of the March 13, 1997 Commission minutes as distributed. Motion carried. Aye: Watermeier, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson, Larson EXPENDITURES Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Pieper to approve the expenditure report for March, 1997, as distributed. Motion carried. Aye: Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson, Larson DIRECTOR'S REPORT Dayle Williamson noted that his report had been distributed to Commission members and noted that much of the report dealt with the annual NARD Washington, DC trip. He highlighted a few of the items relating to the Washington trip and also noted several of the provisions of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 and noted how provisions of that act might affect Nebraska. GOVERNOR NELSON Governor Ben Nelson joined the Commission at this point and spoke briefly on a number of legislative issues and particularly the budget issues facing him and the Legislature this session. He also responded to a number of specific questions from members of the Commission. COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COMMITTEE Joe Hergott explained that the Comprehensive Planning Committee had met on Wednesday afternoon and had discussed a range of topics including the NRC/Bureau of Reclamation Water Supply Study, the NRC/USGS Water Use Study, and the progress being made on DEM/DOQ production. He added that they had spent a considerable amount of time discussing the SSURGO soils initiative in partnership with NRCS and the Conservation and Survey Division and the various applications of that technology. LB 1085 REPORT Vince Kramper explained that the 1085 committee had met on Wednesday morning and had generally finalized their report. He added that Steve Gaul would be revising the report in accord with committee discussions and that the report would be provided to Commission members for their review prior to the June Commission meeting and he anticipated that the Commission would be able to make any changes they desired at that time with the final report being approved at the August meeting. Chair, Roy Stewart, noted that the second task of the LB 1085 report would be initiated and he asked the three Commission members who had served on the committee for the first part of the report (Vince Kramper, Don Roberts, and Wayne Davis) to continue to serve on that committee and they each agreed. PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING Dale Watermeier reported that the committee had considered three requests for increased allocations for three separate projects. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Roberts to acknowledge the Nemaha NRD's return of $86,267.74 in obligated funds from components 2, 3, and 5A and approve the NRD's request for an increase in allocated funds of $80,176.61 for components 1, 3A, and 5, resulting in a new project allocation of $3,819,868.87. Motion carried. Aye: Welsh, Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Mercer, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Kramper to approve the Village of Howells' request for an increased allocation of $8,115.34 for the Howells Levee Project increasing the project allocation from $137,040.00 to $145,155.34. Motion carried. Aye: Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Mercer, Welsh, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Jiskra to approve the Village of Pender's request for an increased allocation of $89,825.00 for the Pender Flood Control Project increasing the project allocation from $823,468.00 to $913,293.00. Motion carried. Aye: Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson Watermeier noted that the Commission would at their June meeting be considering an increased allocation for the Papio Site 21 Project and that some funds would be returned from that project on some of the components that had previously been approved because costs were under the estimates. Watermeier reported that Ron Fleecs had explained an easement request for funds for Wolf-Wildcat Site 68 to the committee. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Roberts to approve the county court award on the Tegtmeyer property (78.7 acres) at Wolf-Wildcat Site 68 and commit $14,978.00 for easement. Motion carried. Aye: Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Donaldson, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson Watermeier noted that the committee had spent a considerable amount of time discussing the Soil and Water Conservation Fund and that at the June meeting the Commission would be making a decision on distribution of the funds for the next fiscal year. Watermeier noted that the committee had discussed a request from the Lower Platte South NRD for survey assistance. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Kroese to approve the request of the Lower Platte South NRD for special projects assistance. Motion carried. Aye: Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Stewart Nay: None Not Present: Nelson LEGISLATION Staff attorney, Jim Cook, briefed the Commission on the status of various legislative activity and responded to a number of questions. He explained that it appeared as though little resource related legislation would be adopted this year because of the amount of time being spent on property tax and school issues. REPUBLICAN RIVER ACTIVITIES Cook explained that the State of Kansas had broken off negotiations on the Republican River issues because they felt that little or no progress was being made. He added that he was hopeful that some further negotiations could take place but that it was possible the State of Kansas might file a lawsuit in the near future. Don Roberts noted that the Upper Republican NRD has had their Groundwater Control Area in place for a number of years and continues to manage that program. He also noted that the Middle Republican and Lower Republican NRDs are holding meetings and intending to proceed with some management efforts. Cook noted that some progress had been made on Platte River activities. He said he was encouraged by the progress made at the last meeting on the memorandum of understanding involving the three states and the federal government. He added that he would be participating in eight meetings at four separate locations next week throughout the Platte Basin to brief the public on the status of the issues involved and receive input from the public. NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Commission will be June 12, 1997, at the Upper Elkhorn NRD office in O'Neill. Roy Stewart noted that the Upper Elkhorn NRD would be hosting the Commission at a tour the day of June 11 and a preliminary itinerary and other informational material for the tour and meeting was distributed to Commission members. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at approximately 12:15 p.m. Chairman Director of Natural Resources