2:24 PM | Deer Check Stations, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, Mullet Lake, Office Hours
Tributes and Congratulatory Notes
Looking for a unique way to commemorate a special occasion for a co-worker, friend or family member? My office is pleased to offer legislative tributes in honor of a number of noteworthy events such as retirement, anniversaries of businesses in our community, awards and public recognitions. To request an official state of Michigan tribute from my office, please visit www.gophouse.com/elsenheim
Coming to Lansing?
As House Republican Leader, I frequently receive invitations to legislative conferences and events. Please know my priority is you. If you plan to visit Lansing for a conference or meeting, please contact my office in advance so I can make every effort to meet with you while you are in town.
Stay in Contact
Mail: P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909
E-mail: kevinelsenheimer@house.mi.
Toll-Free: 1-877-536-4105
Phone: (517) 373-0829
Fax: (517) 373-1841
Website: http://www.gophouse.com/el
Blog: http://staterepkevinelsenh
Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamkev
Office Hours
Next Friday, November 20th, I will be having office hours in Otsego and Cheboygan Counties. I invite you to come and share your thoughts on Michigan government with me during this time. I have listed the specifics below:
Otsego County
8:30 - 9:45 a.m.
Diana's Delight
143 W. Main
Gaylord, MI 49735
Cheboygan County
11:30 a.m - 1:00 p.m.
Wolverine Community Center
5716 E. Main Street
Wolverine, MI 49799
Mullet Lake Update
State Sen. Jason Allen and Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer praised all the parties involved in reversing special fishing regulations proposed for Mullet Lake that would have eliminated recreational walleye fishing in the Cheboygan County resource.
At its Nov. 5 meeting, the Natural Resources Commission heard from Kelley Smith, chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Fisheries Division, who said the Little Traverse and Soo tribes had withdrawn their request for an increase in their 2010 walleye harvest and the department would work with them on the catch numbers to allow recreational walleye fishing to continue. Allen and Elsenheimer sent a letter to DNR Director Rebecca Humphries calling for local public hearings so an acceptable agreement could be established for all sides to continue using Mullet Lake.
“There are times in Lansing when issue lines are drawn and it looks from the outside that no one will budge when just a little common sense would solve it,” said Allen, R-Traverse City. “Happily, the Mullet Lake walleye issue is being resolved with people talking and willing to compromise for the good of the tribes, state anglers and the area economy.”
Earlier this month the DNR staff submitted a recommendation that the recreational walleye limit for Mullet Lake in Cheboygan County be set at zero because it did not believe the lake could sustain an ongoing walleye population alongside the tribes’ increased harvest.
Prior the NRC meeting there were public meetings with the DNR, and interested residents could submit their written comments for the commission to consider. The final ruling on the special regulations was not expected until the commission’s December meeting.
Elsenheimer said the cooperation over walleye fishing in Mullet Lake was a bright spot that hopefully could be built on in other sectors of challenges Michigan faces toward rebounding for the future.
“The future of Mullet Lake walleye fishing is a very localized issue but its amiable resolution hopefully shows that our government and department leaders can work through the bureaucracy for the good of the people and Michigan,” said Elsenheimer, R-Kewadin.
Executive Order 45
Governor Jennifer Granholm’s proposal to merge the departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources into a new Department of Natural Resources and Environment was rejected today by a Senate committee.
Approval of the rejection of Ms. Granholm’s executive orders from the Appropriations Committee came on party-line votes, with majority Republicans supporting the move and Democrats backing Ms. Granholm. GOP opposition largely stemmed from the executive order’s transfer to the governor of the power to appoint the directors of the new department and of the Department of Agriculture.
The Natural Resources Commission and the Commission of Agriculture now handle those appointments.
On party-line votes, the committee also approved a large package of bills that would merge the DEQ into the existing DNR, keeping the department under the control of the Natural Resources Commission and leaving Department of Agriculture director appointment in its current place. I support these changes and look forward to seeing a vote on the bill in the House.
Deer Check Station Changes
As firearms deer season opens statewide Sunday, the Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that the department will operate fewer deer check stations this year due to budget reductions. Nonetheless, DNR staffers hope to check as many deer as possible to continue monitoring the herds health and to get good measures of the age and sex structure of the herd in various locations.
The DNR will continue to check deer at all operation service centers and at many other locations only during the firearm deer hunting season. Locations can be found on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrhuntin
The DNR hopes hunters will make the extra effort to bring in their deer. Even with fewer check stations, DNR will be able to collect sufficient biological data to help make management decisions, but only if people bring deer in to be checked, said Russ Mason, chief of the DNRs Wildlife Division.
Head collections for chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis will be significantly reduced this fall for much of Michigan, though the DNR will continue to monitor large numbers of deer from suspect areas: the five counties in the northeastern Lower Peninsula within the TB area as well as Iosco, Shiawassee and Kent counties.
Hunters are also reminded that it is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail, to feed or bait deer across the entire Lower Peninsula.
For a list of deer check stations and their days and hours of operation for 2009, please visit the DNR Web site at http://www.michigan.gov/dn
