MINUTES OF THE
NEBRASKA NATURAL
RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING
MARCH 25, 2004
Those
in attendance were:
Beverly
Donaldson, Chair Nelson
Carpenter Linda
Hillen
Vince
Kramper, Member Stan
Staab Eugene
Heitz
Roger
Korell, Member Ken
Berney Mary
Ann Schroeder
Wayne
Madsen, Member Milton
Moravek Frankie Charipar
Jim
Van Marter, Member Gary
Lewis Darlene
Charipar
Richard
Jiskra, Member Mike Sotak Len Schropfer
Joseph
Hergott, Member Bob
Wolf Curt
Hill
Dan
Watermeier, Member Mike
Murren Judy
Loseke
Clint
Johannes, Member Dorothy Hillen Don Moses
LeRoy
Pieper, Member Shaun Heitz Jim Cook, Staff
Richard
Hadenfeldt, Member Allen
Schroeder Tom
Pesek, Staff
Don
Roberts, Member Marty
Klein Gayle
Starr, Staff
Arlond
Garratt, Member Jerry
Sandeen
Keith
Rexroth, Member Lalit Jha
Garry
Anderson, Member Justin
Stine
Steve
Oltmans Elden
Wesely
Marlin
Petermann Steve
Mossman
The
meeting was called to order by Commission Chair, Beverly Donaldson, in the
conference room of the Lower Platte South NRD in Lincoln, Nebraska at
approximately 9:00 a.m.
Notice
of the meeting was placed in the LINCOLN JOURNAL & STAR on March 17, 2004,
notifying the public of the meeting.
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 Legislative & Budget Committee Meeting.
2.
Minutes
of the Comprehensive Planning Committee Meeting.
3.
Water
Well Decommissioning Cash Fund Summary.
4.
Nebraska
Resources Development Fund Present Financial Status.
5.
Letter
from Marty Klein, Chair of Winslow Village Board on the Winslow Flood
Protection Levee Project
6.
Letter
from Papio-Missouri River NRD on Western Sarpy/Clear Creek Flood Reduction
Project.
7.
Status
of Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund.
8.
Soil
& Water Conservation Fund – Expenditures by Month, 1995-2004.
9.
Republican
Basin Water Meter Program.
10.
Natural
Resources Water Quality Fund and Distributions.
11.
Water
Well Decommissioning Cash Fund.
12.
NRCS
Report to the NNRC and NARD.
13.
Motion
was made by Kramper and seconded by Anderson to approve the minutes of the
January
28, 2004 Commission meeting as distributed.
Motion carried.
Aye: Watermeier, Van Marter, Madsen, Kramper, Pieper, Roberts,
Garratt, Johannes, Hadenfeldt, Anderson, Hergott, Jiskra, Korell, Rexroth,
Donaldson
Nay: None
Not
Present: Davis
Gayle
Starr noted that the Expenditure Report for January and February, 2004 had been
distributed to Commission members and he briefly reviewed the expenditure
categories.
Doug
Christensen, Assistant State Conservationist for NRCS briefly commented on
several NRCS programs and distributed a handout regarding watershed
rehabilitation, which he briefly reviewed.
Gayle Starr noted that Roger Patterson was in
Washington, DC and could not be present for the Commission meeting. He noted that an individual had been hired
(Pat Diederich) to head the Dam Safety program and that about 50 applications
have been received for the agency Legal Counsel position and those applications
are being reviewed and some applicants will be interviewed in mid-April.
Vince Kramper noted that the next meeting would be on April 5 when about six million dollars of grants are to be awarded. Kramper added that the Trust Board is looking at ways to simplify applications and to establish some uniform standards for applications.
Jim Cook noted that the Environmental Impact Statement for Endangered Species on the Platte River had been released. He added that the National Academy of Sciences review has not yet been completed and it is hoped that their report would be released before the completion of the review period on the Environmental Impact Statement. He added that technical work needed to comply with the Republican River settlement is continuing but that there are no significant new developments.
It was noted that LB962 containing the recommendations of the Water Policy Task Force has been advanced to select file and designated a super priority bill so that it will likely be acted on by the Legislature yet this year. It was also noted that a number of other water related bills considered to be non-controversial have been amended into LB962.
Dan
Watermeier noted that Tom Pesek had distributed the Resources Development Fund
Status Report and quarterly report at the committee meeting and had reviewed
them in some detail. He added that the
committee was recommending action be
taken to obligate funds for the Winslow Levee Project. Motion was made by Watermeier and
seconded by Kramper to obligate funds
for the Winslow Levee Project effective immediately as follows: Component
No.1: Feasibility Study -
$21,750.00; Component No. 2: Final
Design, Geo-technical & Mapping - $40,415.25 for a total of
$62,165.25. Motion carried.
Aye: Van Marter, Madsen, Kramper, Pieper, Roberts, Garratt, Johannes,
Hadenfeldt, Anderson, Hergott, Jiskra, Korell, Rexroth, Watermeier, Donaldson
Nay: None
Not Present: Davis
Beverly Donaldson noted that the next three agenda items would involve presentations on Resources Development Fund projects by project sponsors and that some other individuals had asked to speak with regard to the Leigh Dam Project application. She asked that those wishing to speak keep their comments brief and not be repetitive. She also noted that these were only briefings for the Commission and no action would be taken by the Commission on any of the three projects.
Steve Oltmans, Marlin Petermann, and Nelson Carpenter all briefed the Commission on the increased cost estimates for the Western Sarpy/Clear Creek Project and responded to questions. Oltmans noted that the sponsors would be requesting an increased allocation and obligation of funds at the May Commission meeting.
Milton
Moravek, representing the Central Platte NRD, and Gary Lewis, an engineering
consultant for the NRD, reviewed their application for Resources Development
funds for the Upper Prairie/
Silver/Moores
Creek Project. It was noted that this
was a new application that had just been received and would be reviewed by the
staff and a recommendation from the Director would be submitted at the
completion of the review.
Stan
Staab, representing the Lower Elkhorn NRD and Mike Sotak, the NRD’s engineering
consultant, reviewed the Leigh Dam Project application and responded to
questions. It was noted that this was
also a new application that would be reviewed by the staff and the director
would be submitting a recommendation at the completion of the review.
Steve
Mossman, representing a group of project opponents commented on the project and
explained their reasons for opposition.
He also distributed some information for Commission members.
Alan
Schroeder and Frankie Charipar both spoke in support of the project outlining
their reasons for support.
It was noted that status reports on the Small Watersheds Flood Control Fund, Soil & Water Conservation Fund, Natural Resources Water Quality Fund, and Water Well Decommissioning Fund had been distributed at the Program Committee and reviewed at that time.
LEGISLATIVE & BUDGET COMMITTEE
Aye: Madsen, Kramper, Pieper, Roberts, Garratt, Johannes, Hadenfeldt,
Anderson, Hergott,
Jiskra, Korell, Rexroth, Watermeier,
VanMarter, Donaldson
Nay: None
Not
Present: Davis
Hadenfeldt also noted that Gayle Starr had briefed the committee on the proposed reductions to the Department’s budget that are being considered to address the state’s budget shortfall. He added that a summary of that information is attached to the committee minutes.
Garry
Anderson noted that at the Comprehensive Planning Committee meeting, Jennifer
Schellpeper had made a presentation regarding a recently completed report on
hydrologically connected ground and surface water in the North Platte Natural
Resources District.
Anderson
added that Steve Gaul had advised the committee that the multi-year process of
completing SSURGO digital soils information for the entire state should be
completed within the next month.
Rex
Gittens and Steve Rathje provided a demonstration of mapping capabilities that
the agency is participating in as part of a national program. Rathje also explained the department’s new
metadata system and the Natural Resources Data clearinghouse, which is also
part of the national system.
It
was noted that the staff would be working with the Central Platte NRD to
schedule the May Commission meeting in Grand Island in connection with a
dedication of the Wood River/Upper Warm Slough Project and a field trip of the
Upper Prairie/S ilver/Moores Creek Project.
The
meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:25 a.m.
____________________________________ _____________________________________
Chair Director of Natural Resources