MINUTES OF THE

MINUTES OF THE

NEBRASKA NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING

JULY 9, 2003

 

 

Those in attendance were:

 

Roger Korell, Chair                                           Arlond Garratt, Member

Wayne Madsen, Member                                   Clinton Johannes, Member

Jim Van Marter, Member                                  Mike Murren

Don Roberts, Member                                       Mike Sotak

Joe Hergott, Member                                         Glenn Johnson

Richard Jiskra, Member                                     Robin Faulk

Vince Kramper, Member                                   Dean Edson                 

Beverly Donaldson, Member                              Lyndon Vogt

Garry Anderson, Member                                  Len Schropfer

Wayne Davis, Member                                      Lynn Webster

LeRoy Pieper, Member                                     Tom Pesek, Staff

Robert Hahn, Member                                       Gayle Starr, Staff

Richard Hadenfeldt, Member                

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The meeting was called to order by Commission Chair, Roger Korell in the conference room of the

Best Western Motel in Chadron, Nebraska, at approximately 8:00 a.m. MDT.

 

NOTICE OF THE MEETING

 

Notice of the meeting was placed in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR and the CHADRON RECORD on June 29, 2003, 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.                 Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund – Inventory of Fee Title Lands.

2.                 Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund – Projected Funding Requests.

3.                 Status of Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund.

4.                 Nebraska Resources Development Fund Present Financial Status.

5.                 Nebraska Resources Development Fund Quarterly Report.

6.                 Water Well Decommissioning Fund Status Report.

7.                 Natural Resources Water Quality Fund.

8.                 Budget Comparisons

9.                 Petition from landowners opposed to Little Sandy Creek Watershed Project.

10.               NRCS Report to the NNRC and NARD.

11.                

MINUTES

 

Motion was made by Kramper and seconded by Van Marter to approve the minutes of the May 21 and 22, 2003, Commission meetings. Motion carried.

Aye:     Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Jiskra, Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen, Van Marter, Johannes, Korell

Nay:     None

Not Present:  Watermeier

 

EXPENDITURES

 

Gayle Starr noted the expenditure report for May and June covering the funds administered by the Commission had been distributed for Commission members.

 

ADVISOR’S COMMENTS

 

 

Robin Foulk, District Conservationist of the Upper Niobrara-White NRD welcomed the Commission members to the Upper Niobrara-White NRD and distributed a report covering NRCS activities in the state.  She particularly mentioned the Grassland Reserve Program for the sign-up currently underway and the progress being made on the competitive sourcing process that NRCS is undergoing.

 

 

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

 

Gayle Starr mentioned that Director Roger Patterson was at a Missouri River Basin Association meeting in Billings, Montana, and unable to attend. He noted that the staff was gearing up to implement the Republican River settlement and that two additional employees are being added for that purpose at this time.  He also briefly noted the water supply situation in the Republican and North Platte River Basins.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST


Vince Kramper noted that the next meeting of  the Environmental  Trust Board would be at the end of July at Ponca State Park.  He added that the Board is still looking at changes that might be made in the application evaluation process.  He added that applications for the new grants are due in September.

 

WATER POLICY TASK FORCE

Clint Johannes and LeRoy Pieper noted that the Task Force is making progress on some issues and that they anticipate that the group will reach concensus on some recommendations to be presented in their final report by the end of this calendar year.

 

PROGRAM COMMITTEE


Committee Chair, Robert Hahn, called on Tom Pesek who briefly reviewed the Resources Development Fund Status Report and quarterly report.  Pesek distributed copies of the Director’s recommendation on the Lower Turkey Creek Project proposal and Lake Wanahoo Project proposal.  Motion was made by Kramper and seconded by Jiskra to advise the Lower Big Blue NRD that it may proceed with an application and feasibility report for the Lower Turkey Creek Watershed Project and that it is to address the comments and questions contained in the letter from the Director of Natural Resources.  Motion carried.

Aye:   Roberts, Davis, Jiskra, Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper,

Madsen, Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Korell

Nay:   None

Not Present:  Watermeier

 

Motion was made by Johannes and seconded by Roberts to advise the Lower Platte North NRD that it may proceed with an application and feasibility report for the Lake Wanahoo Project and that it is to address the comments and questions contained in the letter from the Director of Natural Resources.  Motion carried.

 

Aye:   Davis, Jiskra, Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen,

Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Roberts, Korell 

Nay:   None

Not Present:  Watermeier

 

Pesek explained that the Resources Development Fund appropriation for the current fiscal year has now been finalized and that the Commission could proceed to modify components as appropriate and to obligate funds.  He explained that requests for funds totaled $3,935,968.87 but that only a little more than $3.6 million dollars was available for obligation at this time.  Pesek explained that the staff recommendation was that reductions be made in the Little Sandy Creek and Western Sarpy/Clear Creek requests and that he had visited with both sponsors and they were agreeable to these reductions.  Motion was made by Roberts and seconded by Hergott to modify project components as necessary for obligation of fiscal year 2004 funds. Motion carried.

Aye:   Jiskra, Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen,

          Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Korell

Nay:   None

Not Present:  Watermeier

 

Motion was made by Hahn and seconded by Pieper to establish the following components and obligate fiscal year 2004 funds as follows:

 

NEBRASKA   RESOURCES   DEVELOPMENT   FUND

Project   Components   and   Request   for FY   2004   Funds

Project

#

Project   Component

Request   for FY   2004

Antelope Creek

4

R-O-W Acquisitions & Relocations

$1,505,160.00

 

 

 

 

Subtotal:

 $    1,505,160.00

Lake Ericson

2

Final Design

7,941.78

 

 

4

Construction, Structural

131,251.68

 

 

5

Construction, Recreation

43,915.41

 

 

 

 

Subtotal:

 $        183,108.87

Western Sarpy/Clear Creek

3

Right-Of-Way (Partial)

1,332,000.00

  

 

 

 

Subtotal:

 $    1,332,000.00

Little Sandy Creek

4a

Construction & Inspection, Sites 30 and 61

604,800.00

  

 

 

 

Subtotal:

 $        604,800.00

 

 

 

TOTAL:

 $    3,625,068.87

 

Motion carried.

Aye: Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen, Van Marter,

Johannes, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Jiskra, Korell

Nay:    None

Not Present: Watermeier

 

Pesek reviewed the status of the Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund and explained the process for establishing a revolving fund base for FY 2004 and to adopt a sale schedule for FY 2005.  Motion was made by Jiskra and seconded by Hergott to establish a revolving fund base of $900,000 for the Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund for FY 2004.  Motion carried.

Aye:   Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen, Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Jiskra, Donaldson, Korell

Nay:   None

Not Present:  Watermeier

 

Motion was made by Kramper and seconded by Garratt to schedule the following fee title tracts for disposal in fiscal year 2005:

 

Middle Big Nemaha, Site 88 (149.8 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 24 (0.39 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 26 (1.50 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 34 (4.12 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 38 (0.87 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 42 (0.86 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 43 (2.60 acres)

Big Papio Channel, Tract 51A (1.21 acres)

 

Motion carried.

Aye:   Hergott, Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen, Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Roberts,

Davis, Jiskra, Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Korell

Nay:   None

Not Present:  Watermeier

 

Gayle Starr distributed status reports for the Soil & Water Conservation Fund, the Republican Basin Water Meter Fund, the Natural Resources Water Quality Fund, and the Water Well Decommissioning Fund.  He further explained that the staff was recommending a distribution of the Soil & Water Conservation Funds for FY 2004 as provided to the Commission members.  Motion was made by Pieper and seconded by Van Marter to accept the staff recommendations for the distribution of Soil & Water Conservation Funds for the current fiscal year.

Aye:   Anderson, Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen, Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Jiskra,

Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Korell

Nay:   None

Not Present: Watermeier

 

LEGISLATIVE & BUDGET COMMITTEE

 

Gayle Starr distributed a summary of the Department’s budget for the current fiscal year with comparisons to the previous fiscal year and reviewed those changes and responded to several questions. 

 

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PLANNING & REVIEW PROCESS

 

Gayle Starr explained that the draft of the annual report of the Planning and Review Process had been provided to Commission members and if they had any questions or comments about the contents of the report, they should contact Steve Gaul to answer their questions and respond to their comments.

 

UPPER NIOBRARA-WHITE NRD

 

Motion was made by Van Marter and seconded by Anderson to express the Commission’s appreciation and gratitude for the NRD’s hospitablity and the tour that was provided for Commission members on

July 8.

Aye:   Garratt, Kramper, Pieper, Madsen, Van Marter, Johannes, Hahn, Roberts, Davis, Jiskra,

Donaldson, Hadenfeldt, Hergott, Anderson, Korell

Nay:   None

Not Present:   Watermeier

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Commission will be in on September 23, 2003, in Kearney in connection with the NARD annual conference with the Commission meeting scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. on the 23rd.

 

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:00 AM.

 

_______________________________________    _______________________________________

Chairman                                                              Director of Natural Resources