Wetlands Committee Report
Changes in the Clean Water Act
On January 9th, 2001 the United
Sates Supreme Court ruled that Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) does not
extend regulatory coverage to wetlands not adjacent to navigable waters.
As of publication of this newsletter the United Sates Army Corps of Engineers,
which administers section 404 of the CWA is rapidly trying to provide clarifying
guidance to their field offices. At this juncture it is almost certain
that CWA jurisdiction will no longer afford protection to isolated waters
including prairie potholes. Further clarification of the term “navigable
waters” will likely be needed before additional environmental impacts can be
assessed.
“Swampbuster” Update
Even with the a signed settlement agreement
dated January 12, 2000 considerable concerns remain in South Dakota over the
administration of the wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 Food Security
Act, commonly known as Swampbuster. The most recent issues involve
proposed changes to certain Minimal Effects procedures and the use of a new
relatively untested hydrology indicator. The need for clarification of
these issues prompted a January 4th meeting between the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish and Parks, and the plaintiffs from the original
settlement agreement (National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon
Society, Izaak Walton League of America, South Dakota Resources Coalition, South
Dakota Wildlife Federation and the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe). The
final resolution of these state level issues remains unclear, but ultimately may
be overshadowed by the rapidly growing national debate on the role, if any, of
Swampbuster in the next Farm Bill. Swampbuster as we know it today will
“sunset” with the current Farm Bill and new legislation will be required to
authorize it again in the pending 2002 Farm Bill.
Continuous CRP and Wetlands
In April of 2000, a broad based
coalition of 34 South Dakota conservation and agricultural groups including the
South Dakota chapter of the Wildlife Society developed and jointly signed an
Agreement in Principle that recommended several rule changes for the wetland
portions of USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). These recommended
rule changes were largely adopted and passed into law with Conservation of
Farmable Wetland Act of 2000. This two year, six state, pilot program will
permit the continuous enrollment of 500,000 acres of wetland and associated
buffers into CRP. The initial sign up period is expected in the
spring.
Submitted by: Kurt Forman, SD-TWS Wetlands Committee Chair
SDTWS Book Service Committee Report
During the operating year, I processed one book order. The SDTWS member
received a discount of 40% off of the list price on this order.
The
balance for the book service account is $231.38, which is the same balance as
the end of the previous operating year. Total expenditures for the
operating year were $33.00 and deposits (reimbursement for the one book
purchase) equaled $33.00.
Submitted by: Tony Leif, Committee Chair
Certification Committee Report
The primary objective of The Wildlife Society certification program is to
provide public and private clients and employers more positive access to
professional advice in matters concerning wildlife resources. Specific goals
include:
- To guide biologists, government agencies, courts, and the
public in defining minimum standards of education and experience for
professional wildlife biologists, and to encourage all practicing wildlife
biologists to meet such standards.
- To create and maintain
public confidence in the advice and opinions of Certified Wildlife Biologists as
well as educated and experienced professionals who have pledged to uphold the
Code of Ethics and the Standards for Professional Conduct of the Wildlife
Society and to act in the best interests of wildlife resources and the public.
- To assist the public in evaluating wildlife biologists by
establishing a procedure for critical peer evaluation based upon defining
minimum education, experience and ethical requirements.
The Society
seeks to promote and strengthen professional standards in all activities devoted
to wildlife resources.
The requirements for certification are
intended to be a means of demonstrating special expertise as a Professional
Wildlife Biologist. These requirements are quite stringent and are
reviewed by a Certification Review Board.
There are two
certification categories:
1. Certified Wildlife Biologists – persons
who have completed acceptable educational and experience requirements.
2. Associate Wildlife Biologists – persons who have completed the
educational requirements but not the experience requirements.
Fees are as follows – Certified: $130 for members, $260 for non-members,
Associate: $90 for members, $170 for non-members.
Application forms as
well as booklets describing the program are available by contacting me (Pat
Russell) at PO Box 1514 Aberdeen SD 57402-1514. These forms will also be
available at the next Society meeting.
Submitted by: Pat Russell, Committee Chair
Nongame/Endangered Species Report
The SD Chapter of TWS continued its support for the bald eagle/birds of prey events held in the state. The Pierre-Fort Pierre Bald Eagle Awareness Days event reached 2000 students in central South Dakota and 300 visitors to programs at the Ramkota Inn. SDTWS has also contributed to the 2001 event, to be held on February 16 and 17, with programs to be held at Gettysburg schools, the Pierre Mall, and the Ramkota Inn.
Dan Hubbard represents SDTWS on the South Dakota Prairie Dog Working Group. This citizen advisory group was assembled in 2000 to provide recommendations to the SD Departments of Agriculture and Game, Fish and Parks in statewide planning efforts. The Working Group was actively involved in the recent issues of the prairie dog shooting season and the proposed legislation to create a new category, species of management concern, to address management of wildlife species that have both positive and negative impacts to landowners. South Dakota’s prairie dog planning effort is part of a national state initiative to avoid federal listing with the development and implementation of comprehensive prairie dog ecosystem plans.
Submitted by: Eileen Dowd-Stuckel, Committee Chair
Grassland Issues Committee Report
In February 2000 the committee drafted a letter for the President to send out. This letter was sent out to show the Chapter’s support of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Project. This is a new project geared toward perpetually protecting tallgrass prairie from destruction. Protection will be accomplished by purchasing grassland easements from willing seller landowner’s. The project will eventually protect 185,000 acres of tallgrass prairie at an estimated cost of $14 million.
In June, the committee drafted another letter for the President to send out. This letter was sent to Senator Thomas Daschle to thank him for his past support of the Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Project which accounted for an initial appropriation of $250,000 in 1998. The letter also requested his continued support of the project. As it turns out, Senator Daschle supported the project in a big way. In October 2000 the U.S. Congress allocated $2.1 million for the project! It is estimated that this funding will protect 30,000 acres of prairie.
In February, a letter was drafted to offer the Chapter’s support for Friends of Prairie. Friends of Prairie is a new prairie group based out of Milbank, SD. This is a non-profit organization formulated to coordinate efforts of pro-prairie groups, and promote education and public awareness of the tremendous values tallgrass prairie possesses. The primary objective of the group will be communication.
Submitted by: Craig Mowry, Committee Chair
Fish and Wildlife Diversity Funding Initiative (Teaming with Wildlife)
The SD Chapter of The Wildlife Society continued its active involvement in seeking permanent, stable funding for fish and wildlife resources that have been neglected in the past because of the lack of a dedicated funding source. The Conservation and Reinvestment Act, which embodied some of the components of the original Teaming with Wildlife concept, passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote of 315-102. CARA also passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, appearing to be on the way to passage by the Senate, with the support of 66 senators. The bill was never brought to the floor of the Senate, and compromise bills represent pale substitutes for what should have been a stable fish and wildlife diversity funding source.
What resulted from the 106th Congress were two one-year appropriations packages related to wildlife funding. The Interior Appropriations Bill (P.L. 106-291) contains $50 million for wildlife, with priorities to be set by federal administrators. A second pool of $50 million is contained in the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Bill (P.L. 106-553). The CJS bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Act to provide these funds directly to state fish and wildlife agencies. SD Game, Fish and Parks’ Wildlife Division will receive a one-time appropriation of nearly $500,000 from CJS for use on species and projects that have been neglected in the past because of lack of funding. The State of South Dakota could receive some funds from Interior Appropriations through a competitive grant process, but the funding mechanisms and priorities are presently unknown.
SDGFP Wildlife Diversity program staff have begun planning for the CJS appropriations by seeking input on specific projects. This project “wish list” will also serve as a starting point for more comprehensive planning for the eventual passage of CARA (or whatever the bill introduced in the 107th Congress is called). Teaming with Wildlife supporters are optimistic that we will finally achieve the legislative solution needed; i.e., stable, long-term funding for meaningful fish and wildlife conservation, responsible outdoor recreation, and enhanced environmental education.
To learn more about Teaming with Wildlife, visit the following web site: http://www.teaming.com/
Submitted by: Eileen Dowd-Stuckel, Committee Chair
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee contacted Jerry Kobriger CMPS Representative to TWS Council and received copies of letters from the Directors of the BLM, USFS, and USFWS promoting participation in the Wildlife Society meetings (or professional societies). Copies were made of the letters and sent to all of the forest Service offices in the state. The state supervisor for the USFWS was contacted and invited to the 2001 Annual Meeting and was requested to encourage employees to join the SDTWS. All of the SD Tribal Offices were contacted and encouraged to join and attend the 2001 Annual Meeting. The Secretary of the SD Game, Fish & Parks was contacted, invited to the Annual Meeting, and was requested to encourage employees to join the SDTWS. All of the Corps of Engineers Lake Managers were sent an invitation to join SDTWS and attend the 2001 Annual Meeting.
All new SDTWS members will receive a SDTWS coffee cup.
SDTWS currently has six Life Memberships. One Life Membership (John Kelly) was received since last year’s annual meeting. The Membership Committee would like every member to check out the Life Membership dues option.
Submitted by: Tom Turnow, Committee Chair