MINUTES OF THE NEBRASKA NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING October 30, 1997 Those in attendance were: Roy Stewart, Chair Glenn Johnson Wayne Davis, Member Paul Zillig Dale Watermeier, Member Eugene Glock Don Larson, Member Richard Beran Glen Kroese, Member Dean Edson Richard Jiskra, Member Milton Moravek Joseph Hergott, Member Ed Haffke Don Roberts, Member Steve Chick Wilbur Nelson, Member Jim Cook, Staff Richard Mercer, Member Terry Kubicek, Staff Cliff Welsh, Member Tom Pesek, Staff Leroy Pieper, Member Mahendra Bansal, Staff Frank Bartak, Member Steve Rathje, Staff Vince Kramper, Member Steve Gaul, Staff Beverly Donaldson, Member Ravi Varanasi, Staff Mike Shaughnessy, Member Jill Richters. Staff Virgil Norton Karen Kuster, Staff Tom Moser Gayle Starr, Staff 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 10:00 a.m. NOTICE OF THE MEETING Notice of the meeting was placed in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR on October 22, 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. Director's Report. 2. Minutes of the Program Committee Meeting. 3. Policy Statement V - Operations. 4. Soil and Water Conservation Fund Report. 5. Natural Resources Conservation Service Report. 6. Resources Development Fund Financial Status Report and Quarterly Report. 7. Resources Development Fund Semi-Annual Review of NRDF Projects 8. Status of Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund 9. Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund - Inventory of Fee Title Lands. -2- MINUTES Motion was made by Kramper and seconded by Larson to approve the minutes of the August 7, 1997, Commission meeting as distributed. Motion carried. Aye: Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Stewart Nay: None EXPENDITURES Motion was made by Roberts and seconded by Jiskra to approve the expenditure report for July, August, and September, 1997, as distributed. Motion carried. Aye: Donaldson, Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Stewart Nay: None DIRECTOR'S REPORT Roy Stewart noted that Dayle Williamson was fulfilling a commitment for Acting Governor, Kim Robak, and therefore would not be present for the Commission meeting. Gayle Starr noted that the Director's Report had been distributed to Commission members. He called attention to an item involving the proposed American Heritage Rivers proposal and then introduced Karen Kuster, a new employee who is an Accounting Clerk, and noted that Steve Gaul has replaced Jerry Wallin as Head of the Comprehensive Planning Section. Terry Kubicek introduced Steve Rathje who provided a demonstration of some new GIS capabilities and Ravi Varanasi who demonstrated a computerized claim form for the Soil & Water Conservation Fund that is being developed. Steve Gaul briefed the Commission on several Comprehensive Planning activities. ADVISOR'S COMMENTS Steve Chick, representing the Natural Resources Conservation Service, distributed a report and briefly commented on several topics. He noted that NRCS Chief, Paul Johnson, would be leaving his position in early November. He briefly reviewed the agreement that has been reached regarding how Platte River Basin depletions are to be handled for NRCS projects. He also noted that they had developed a Grazing Lands Initiative program with the Cattlemen's Association that will be mutually beneficial. Dean Edson, Executive Director of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts briefly commented on several NARD activities and noted that he is looking forward to working with Commission members and staff. ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST Vince Kramper and Richard Mercer noted that the Trust had received 174 applications for approximately $36 million dollars but that only $6.6 M was available for grants. It was noted that the Trust Board would be meeting on January 27 to discuss the applications and would be having a hearing on their preliminary decisions on February 10. PLATTE RIVER AND REPUBLICAN RIVER ACTIVITIES Jim Cook commented briefly on the Platte River Memorandum of Agreement between Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and the U.S. Department of Interior noting that the Commission had submitted a deficit budget request for $200,000 for the current year and $250,000 for next year to support Nebraska's responsibilities under that agreement. He indicated that it appeared as though Kansas would be filing a lawsuit against Nebraska sometime after the first of the year regarding the Republican River water issues. INTERIM LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY Jim Cook reported that the Natural Resources Committee had held a hearing in Hastings regarding LR 172 which relates to the LB 1085 Study and the Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee had held seven joint hearings regarding the animal waste issues outlined in LR 123. He also indicated that the Natural Resources Committee is planning hearings on LR 179 regarding drainage issues, LR 247, regarding cloud seeding, and LR 249 , regarding vegetative filter strips. LB 1085 PLATTE RIVER AND REPUBLICAN Vince Kramper reported briefly on the Legislature's Natural Resources Committee hearing in Hastings on LB 1085 and indicated he and Commission member Wayne Davis, along with staff members Jim Cook and Gayle Starr had met earlier today with Natural Resources Committee Chair, Chris Beutler to discuss his views on the first study and to brief the Senator on what the Commission was planning for the second study. He added that the committee would be meeting this afternoon to make some decisions as to how to proceed on the second study. PROGRAM COMMITTEE Dale Watermeier indicated Tom Pesek had reviewed the Resources Development Fund financial status report and quareterly report with the committee. He then introduced Milton Moravek of the Central Platte NRD, who along with Ed Haffke of the Corps of Engineers briefed the Commission on the increases in the cost estimate for the Lower Wood River/Upper Warm Slough Project. Watermeier then called on Glenn Johnson to brief the committee on the Lower Platte South NRD's project proposal on the Cedar Creek Flood Control Project. Johnson also reviewed the decision of the Lower Platte South NRD to convert structure 7G of the Weeping Water Project to a multi-purpose structure. Paul Zillig, also of the Lower Platte South NRD, then briefed the Commission on the Stevens Creek Project Proposal. Watermeier explained that the Commission members had been provide revised Resources Development Fund policy statements. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Kramper to approve policy statements V, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XI as presented. Motion carried. Aye: Pieper, Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Doanldson, Stewart Nay: None Watermeier then noted that Tom Moser, Manager of the Lewis & Clark NRD, had reviewed a request for assistance at Aowa Creek 32-3A. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Jiskra to approve the appraisal of damages on the Howard Armstrong property (34.4 acres) at Aowa Creek Site 32- 3A and commit 50 percent of $13,580 for that easement. Motion carried. Aye: Bartak, Kramper, Shaughnessy, Kroese, Larson, Roberts, Hergott, Jiskra, Watermeier, Nelson, Mercer, Welsh, Davis, Donaldson, Pieper, Stewart Nay: None Watermeier then explained the committee had reviewed a summary of auctioneer bids regarding the sale of the Clark Tract at South Branch Little Nemaha Site 1-B. Motion was made by Watermeier and seconded by Roberts to accept the