Here is a
list of events and deadlines in Late June – September
Index
ITEM # 1
ASAP after June 15th, Comments to Governor's review committee - SD Big
Game Management
ITEM # 2
July 8th - July 19, 5 Public meets, SD BLM's Draft Management Plan,
Sept 11th
comments due
ITEM # 3
July 8th, SDGFP Commission meeting, Regulations about grey wolf and sage grouse
ITEM # 4
July 9-10, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission hearing on Cougar and Wolf
regulations
ITEM # 5
July 13th, Regional Uranium Opponents meeting in Rapid City
ITEM # 6
July 27th, Deadline to comment on potential Nebraska Mountain Lion season (May
hearing was continued, new proposal pending)
ITEM # 7
August 5th-August 20th, Public meeting on Buffalo Office
BLM RMP Revision, Comment Deadline September 26th
ITEM # 8 Sept
11th, 2013 deadline to comment To USFWS on Grey Wolf delisting, in lower
48,
ITEM # 9
Sept 30th, 2013 comment deadline extension - DEIS & LPP Niobrara
Confluence & Ponca Bluffs Conservation Areas NE and SD
Scroll down for details
=============================================================
ITEM # 1,
Deadline ASAP after June 15th, Comments to Governor's review committee -
SD Big Game Management
=============================================================
Deadline
ASAP after June 15th, this is a flexible but quickly shrinking deadline for
commenting
to Governor's review committee - SD Big Game Management
There is an opportunity to send in comments to an independent review
committee on SD GFP's management of mountain lions, elk, antelope and deer.
If you have already done so, thank you very much, if not please consider doing
so.
More
Info:
In March, SDGFP Commission accepted an offer for independent review, (a review
required by the governor) and authorized $131,050 to pay an outside consultant,
selected by the governor, to study South Dakota's big-game management. The
vendor is The Wildlife Management Institute, a Pennsylvania company.
The Wildlife Management Institute has started its review and it held 3 public
meetings in South Dakota to receive public comment orally and also accept
written comment. The Institute said folks could send in written comments to
them.
At meeting in mid May, the hired consultants (WMI) said written comments would
be most effective, if received within a month of meeting (which would be quasi
deadline of about Friday June 15th, 2013) but there is no fixed or
absolute deadline. You may send anytime before October, as long as received
before they actually submit report, however the longer you wait, the less
likely your thoughts can actually be integrated into the review. Others may
have already sent your comment in, and you may be adding weight or validity to
a comment or view already sent in by other(s) or you may be offering a
different view to concerns sent in by folks with whom you disagree.
If folks are concerned with the status quo in SD with respect to 1) management
of mountain lions, elk, deer, and/or antelope and/or 2) are upset/happy
with some administrative aspect/process of SDGFP, (you may talk about
underlying cause of problem/solution, rather than symptom) and/or 3) are
thinking "outside the box" with new idea, then you may wish to
write. They did say you can make suggestions for legislative change to
cure problems, they may recommend legislative change to Governor.
Written comments may be emailed to:
or
sent by standard mail to:
Wildlife Management Institute, 1440 Upper Bermudian Road, Gardners, PA 17324.
Still
don't understand what is going on? Call up Nancy 605-787-6779/787-6466
Here are
Links to articles about:
Here
is a link to Wildlife Management Institute's bid
Here is a
link to the contract:
Here is
link to GFP page about:
=============================================================
ITEM # 2
July 8th-July 19, 5 Public meets, SD BLM's Draft Management Plan, Sept 11th
comments due
=============================================================
July
8th-July 19, 5 Public meetings, SD BLM's South Dakota Draft Management Plan
Sept. 11,
2013 is End of comment period on DEIS
The draft
document can be viewed on the internet at http://blm.gov/m1kd.
July 8,
Mon., 4-6 p.m., Belle Fourche, Belle Fourche Rec. Center, 1111 National
St.,
July 9,
Tues., 4-6 pm, Sturgis, Sturgis Community Center, 1401 Lazelle, Rapid City,
Best ,
July 11,
Thurs., 4-6pm, Rapid City, Best Western Ramkota, 2111 N. Lacross,
July 23,
Tues., 4-6 p.m., Pierre, Governors Inn, 700 W. Sioux Ave.,
July 19,
Fri., 4-6 p.m., Buffalo, Buffalo Rec. Center, Hodge Street ,
The public may submit written comments related to the South Dakota DRMP/EIS by
any of the following methods: Email: BLM_MT_South_Dakota_RMP@blm.gov__
Fax:
(605)892-7015_, Mail or hand-delivery: "South Dakota RMP
Comments," 315 Roundup Street, Belle Fourche, SD 57717_
For more
information, contact Planning Specialist Mitch Iverson at (605) 892-7000.
For the latest BLM news and updates, visit us on the web at: www.blm.gov/mt
and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BLMMontana.
Prairie
Hills Audubon Society plans to have a meeting on this topic before the close of
the comment period.
==============
=============================================================
ITEM # 3 July
8th, SD GFP Commission meeting, Regulations about grey wolf and sage grouse
=============================================================
A Public
Hearing ,Best Western Ramkota Conference Center, 920 West Sioux Avenue, Pierre,
South Dakota, on Monday, July 8, 2013, at 2:00 o'clock P.M. (CDT),
ARSD
41:06:04 - Hunting Requirements and Prohibited Methods. Effect: Establish a new
rule requiring any person who harvests a wolf to notify a conservation officer
within 24 hours of the kill and submit the wolf for inspection by a
conservation officer or other department representative no later than 48 hours
following the kill.
Please note the SD Legislature in 2013 passed a law (SB 205) to make the grey
wolf in SD a predator/varmint as soon as the USFWS releases it from ESA
protection. Eastern SD is in the Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment so
wolf is already delisted there, so the wolf will be hunted as
predator/varmint in eastern SD as of July 2013. In western SD it is still
protected by the ESA, but if USFWS delists wolf, then it will be a
predator/varmint in Western SD.
Link to SB 205 -- http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2013/Bill.aspx?File=SB205SAG.htm
Link to An Enrolled Act, which becomes law on July 1st.
In May PHAS asked the GFP Commission to adopt a rule, requiring that persons
who shoot wolves under the predator/varmint license, present the wolf for
inspection, so as to aide the federal and state wildlife agencies in watching
what is happening with wolf populations in our region. Our thanks are
given to the GFP staff for moving such a proposal forward. While PHAS is
unhappy with the legislative decision to make a wolf predator/varmint in SD,
the GFP staff is now proposing to do the best they can, with the choices handed
them by the legislature.
2ARSD
41:06:10 - Sage Grouse Hunting Season.- Effect: The proposed amendment
would close the sage grouse hunting season.
All over the west BLM and Forest Service Divisions are doing Planning revisions
to demonstrate they will protect sage-grouse, as the sage-grouse is a candidate
species under the ESA, and listing as threatened and endangered is potential
future scenario. Recent comment deadlines to the Montana BLM's
Hi-Line and Miles City RMP just expired, earlier in June.
SDGFP
should have closed the sage-grouse hunting season long ago, but at least they
may be doing it now. Thus this is progress.
Antelope, bobcat and Canada Goose/waterfowl hunting seasons are also proposed.
Send comments to Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Foss Building, 523
East Capitol, Pierre, South Dakota 57501, or by email to Wildinfo@state.sd.us.
By SD statute the written comment deadline is the close of the hearing,
but GFP always "encourages" the public to send in comments 3 days
earlier.
=============================================================
ITEM # 4
July 9-10, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission hearing on Cougar and Wolf
regulations
=============================================================
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission hearing for oral testimony
on the regulations shall be July 9-10, 2013, in Saratoga, Wyoming.
To view proposed cougar and wolf regulations
A discussion about this issue can be found on PHAS web page if you scroll down.
We can also send you a copy of our written comments on these regulations.
Bottom line is Wyoming, in response to political pressure, is proposing an
excessive hunt of mountain lions in the Black Hills/Bear Lodge and they set
their seasons for 3 years at a time. The written comment period is closed.
See also Cougar Fund "Take Action" page & Mountain Lion
Foundation's state's webpage.
=============================================================
ITEM # 75July
13th, Regional Uranium Opponents meeting in Rapid City
=============================================================
Regional
Uranium Opponents meeting in Rapid City on July 13. Meeting will start at
9:00 am and end by 3:00 pm. There is a benefit concert in Custer that
day. For info contact: Clean Water Alliance nobhuranium@gmail.com,
Event details may eventually be posted on http://www.sdcleanwateralliance.org
=============================================================
ITEM # 6
July 26th, Deadline to comment on potential Nebraska Mountain Lion season (The
May 24th hearing was continued)
=============================================================
Next
Commission hearing is Friday July 26th in Lincoln, and NE Commission's written
comment deadline is same day. They will provide notice of what is proposed Wednesday,
June 26th, 2013.
You can also provide written comments by sending them to: Director
Douglas, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE
68503,(402) 471-5539 ,_jim.douglas@nebraska.gov
To
discover how to provide comments on any rule making in Nebraska, you may visit
the SOS website for instructions/info, http://www.sos.ne.gov/rules-and-regs/explanation.htm
Link
to the minutes of the May 24th meeting is below. The NE mountain lion season
was first discussed at this hearing (Cougar section starts bottom of page 3).
A report
on the original proposed Nebraska season can be downloaded here.
The
largest part of the proposed mountain lion regulations (that were rejected) are
here:
Or link to Cougar Fund "take action" web site for e-mails of specific
Nebraska officials/agencies. Cougar Fund will keep an up to date
"take action" page, so visit for up dates after June 26th.
Link
to Mountain Lion Foundation review of:
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ITEM # 7
August 5th-August 20th, Public meeting on Buffalo Office
BLM RMP Revision, Comment Deadline September 26th
=============================================================
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo Field
Office (BFO) released their draft resource management plan (RMP) and supporting
environmental impact statement (EIS) for a 90 day public review on June 28,
2013. To ensure that comments will be
considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Draft RMP/EIS by
September 26, 2013. For more info
http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Planning/rmps/buffalo.html
You may submit comments by any of the following
methods:
• BLM
NEPA Web site: https://www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do
• Email: BRMP_Rev_WYMail@blm.gov;
• Fax:
(307) 684-1122;
• Mail:
Thomas Bills, Buffalo RMP, BLM Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo,
WY 82834; or
By personal delivery to the Buffalo Field Office
or at a BLM-hosted
public meeting.
Public meetings are at 3:30- 7:00 pm on Mon.
8/5/13 Buffalo, Tues 8/6/13 Gillette, Mon. 8/19/13 Sheridan, Tues. 8/20/13
Kaycee.
For more info on meetings.
http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Planning/rmps/buffalo/drmp-pub-mtgs.html
=============================================================
ITEM # 9
Sept 11th, 2013 deadline to comment on Grey Wolf delisting, in lower 48,
=============================================================
Sept
11th, 2013 deadline to comment on Grey Wolf delisting, in lower 48, (except SW
where will remain T & E and the areas in Northern Rockies and Great Lakes
where wolf is already de-listed).
On June
13, 2013 the two proposed rules related to the grey wolf, were published in the
Federal Register. Comments will be accepted for 90 days ending on 11:59 p.m. on
September 11, 2013. (Verify which time zone's midnight is used) . Please visit www.regulations.gov
to view all Federal Register notices, and to submit an electronic comment.
Some news
articles:
Please
note the SD Legislature in 2013 passed a law to make the grey wolf in SD a
predator/varmint as soon as the USFWS releases it from ESA protection. Eastern
SD
is in the
Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment so wolf is already delisted there
and wolf will be hunted as predator/varmint in eastern SD as of July when new
SD law comes into effect. In western SD it is still protected by the ESA, but
if USFWS delists it then it will be a predator/varmint in Western SD.
=============================================================
ITEM # 10
Sept 30th, 2013 comment deadline extension -
DEIS & LPP Niobrara Confluence & Ponca Bluffs Conservation Areas NE and
SD
=============================================================
Sept
30th, 2013 is the comment deadline extension
for Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Land Protection Plan Niobrara
Confluence and Ponca Bluffs Conservation Areas Nebraska and South Dakota
This is a land protection plan for proposed conservation areas along the
relatively wild section of the Missouri River between SD and Nebraska (in the
SE edge of SD). This DEIS is related to protection of threatened and endangered
bird species habitat along the River. The riparian woodlands and island
complexes are important for approximately 25 year-round bird species and 115
species of migratory birds, including piping plovers, least terns, and bald
eagles.
There are 4 conservation alternatives, No Action, Minimal, Moderate and High
Conservation Action.
Web
links download
Links
on time extension
How to
comment:
You may submit your comments or a request for copies (hard copies or a CD-ROM)
or more information by any of the following methods:
Agency Web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/niob-ponca.
Email: niobrara_ponca@fws.gov.
In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call (605) 665-0209, Missouri River National
Recreational River Headquarters, 508 East 2nd Street, Yankton, SD 57078.
Mail: Nick Kaczor, USFWS, Division of Refuge Planning, P.O. Box 25486, DFC,
Denver, CO 80225.
