MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL

NEBRASKA NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING


MAY 22, 2001

 

 

Those in attendance were:

 

LeRoy Pieper, Chair                                          Garry Anderson, Member

Wayne Davis, Member                                      Steve Oltmans

Don Roberts, Member                                       Marlin Petermann

Robert Hahn, Member                                       Paul Zillig

Arlond Garratt, Member                                    Tom Moser

Richard Jiskra, Member                                     Milt Moravek   

Joe Hergott, Member                                         Artis Fisher

Jim Van Marter, Member                                  Scott Nelson

Wayne Madsen, Member                                   Nelson Carpenter                                 

Roger Korell, Member                                       Eric Gottschalk

Frank Bartak, Member                                      Roger Patterson, Director

Vince Kramper, Member                                   Jim Cook, Staff

Clint Johannes, Member                                     Tom Pesek, Staff

Beverly Donaldson, Member                              Gayle Starr, Staff

Don Larson, Member

                                                           

CALL TO ORDER

 

The meeting was called to order by Commission Chair Leroy Pieper in the conference room of the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District in Lincoln, Nebraska, at approximately 2:00 p.m.

 PUBLIC NOTICE

 

Notice of the meeting was placed in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR on May 15, 2001, notifying the public of the meeting.

 

 

LEGISLATION

 

Jim Cook briefly reviewed various items of legislation and specifically discussed LB 667 and 667A which was recently passed and signed by the Governor.  He detailed the portions of the bill dealing with the department and noted that the accompanying A bill would provide for two department employees to carry out the provisions of the act and would be paid for by fees collected based on the provisions of the bill.  He noted that the appropriations were entirely cash funds to be derived from the fees and the department is to establish the appropriate fees to cover the costs.

 

Cook also noted that LB 329 dealing with funds to replace the fertilizer fees that had been devoted to the Natural Resources Enhancement Fund was on today’s agenda and may be dealt with by the Legislature.  He added that there were a number of amendments that have been filed and would need to be considered.  He added that the accompanying Appropriations Bill (329A) includes a $250,000 General Fund appropriation in addition to the cash funds derived from the various fees that would be collected by the Department of Agriculture.

 

 

BUDGET

 

Gayle Starr distributed a summary of the budget appropriations for the next two fiscal years. He reviewed a number of items in the budget and the specific changes that are included in the appropriations as compared to the current appropriations.

 

RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND

 

Tom Pesek reviewed the background of the Resources Development Fund assessment process and explained the requests that had been received from three project sponsors for Resources Development Funds for the next fiscal year. Representatives of each of the three sponsors requesting funds presented information on their projects and responded to questions concerning various aspects of their projects. Presentations were made by individuals in the following order:

 

Lower Wood River/Warm Slough – Central Platte NRD – Milton Moravek

 

Stevens Creek – Lower Platte South NRD – Paul Zillig

 

Powder Creek – Lewis &Clark NRD – Tom Moser

 

 

In addition, Artis Fisher, representing the Nemaha NRD, provided information on the status of the Upper Little Nemaha Watershed Project that has been funded from the Resources Development Fund but is not requesting funds this year.  Eric Gottschalk, representing the Lower Platte North NRD, provided information on the Skull Creek, Site 55 Project that has been funded, but is also not requesting funds for the upcoming year.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

            The meeting was adjourned at approximately 3:45 p.m.

 

 

 

______________________________________        _________________________________________

Chairman                                                                   Director of Natural Resources