NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MEETING
Fort Harrison State Park - Garrison
Ballroom
6002 North Post Road
Indianapolis, Indiana
January 20, 2015
10:00 a.m. EST (9:00 a.m., CST)


www.in.gov/nrc/2354.htm

From today's meeting:

1. DNR budget goes before the House Ways and Means Committee tomorrow. It is the same as last year's budget with a 3% holdback per the Governor's request.

2. Canned hunting bill HB1453 and Senate bill SB458 are on the DNR's radar.

3. The DNR is going to drop the county-by-county emerald ash borer quarantine. The EAB is now found in all but 4 Indiana counties so they will fall back to a statewide quarantine. Really bad news.

4. Advisory Council - classified forest program is becoming quite popular for landowners trying to reduce their tax bill. Advise anyone with 10 acres or more to look into getting your property into the plan now.
- high power rifle was discussed at last week's Advisory Council meeting. Consensus is that it is largely a social issue. All comments are being reviewed. Pat Early stated he read all 1900 comments and more were pouring in. As of now the rate is 50-50 to 60-40 and is clearly a devisive issue. The public hearings likely will be in March. 3 people showed up for the meeting. 1 commented for, 1 commented against, and the Council itself made no recommendation.

5. Fish & Wildlife has 56 empty positions of which approximately 40 are biologists. They just posted the deer biologist position so expect a replacement in 2-6 months.

6. Law Enforcement is still short 35 officers with a recruit class starting right now. There is a line item for Law Enforcement to get an extra $1.5 million in the upcoming budget.

Bill - any corrections?

Jack

Jack, I was particularly focused on your Item 4 (the Advisory Council report to NRC today). So, I will defer to your comments on the other items.

As you noted, on the high-power rifle issue, the Advisory Council gave a report of its January 14 meeting to the NRC today. Noteworthy, is that the Advisory Council gave no specific recommendations to the NRC. I would add that I believe the proposed rule language must first be published in the Indiana Register before any public hearings are held on the matter. So, if the hearings will start in March the Indiana Register will need to publish the proposal language pretty soon.

At this point in time the proposal is still “alive.” Also, the comment period is still open. However, it would be speculation on my part if I were to predict what the eventual outcome will be.

Nice summary guys. The HPR can be easily "beaten" if those against wish to do what it takes. But I don't care what happens.