Month: January, 2021
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Legislative Daily Update: Day 7 of 37
Brought to you by SDWF Camo-Coalition
HB 1034, 35, 36 were heard in House Ag. all passed and HB 1034,36 passed on consent meaning they will not be debated on the House Floor unless someone wants to pull it off the consent calendar when it comes up on the Floor.
The current biggest bill looming is the introduction to give ER landowners up to 2 tags for their 160 ac. nearly 4200 farms qualify if passed. To qualify at the same time there are nearly 10,000 Resident SD deer hunters that don’t get their first choice.
HB = House Bill SB = Senate Bill
SDWF comments on the Bill
Location of Bill and scheduled hearing of Bill
Link to actual Bill
House Bills:
HB 1034 revise certain youth hunting requirements. Changes the age definition for youth from 16 to 18, SDWF-Camo is monitoring and supporting as is written. Passed House Ag. to Full House https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22024/210653
HB 1035 remove the locking seal requirement for the transportation of big game animals. Does away with the requirement in statute to have a locking devise (tag). And allows GFP to look at different ways to tag big game. SDWF-Camo is monitoring bill. Passed House Ag. to Full House https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22025/210654
HB 1036 correct technical errors in certain code cross-references regarding the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. SDWF-Camo is monitoring bill and supporting as written. Passed House Ag. to Full House https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22118/210656
HB1042 revise certain provisions regarding riparian buffer strips. It appears it changes some criteria needed to qualify for tax break, SDWF-Camo is monitoring supporting as written. No action scheduled. https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22063/210672
HB1047 provide limited deer and antelope licenses to landowners. GFP is supporting the ability of Non-Res landowners to get up to 2 tags for their land, as long as they own a min. of 160 ac, these proposed tags are good for only on their own land. The problem is last year 10,000 residents didn’t get their first choice of ER deer, and with an additional possibility of 8,000 more tags where do you think the number will be cut from? SDWF-Camo is strongly opposing, we need to take care of our resident hunters. No action scheduled. https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22117/210782
Senate Bills:
SB 72 revise notification requirements for listing and delisting species on the threatened and endangered species list. If passed would allow a rule to be placed to change the 30 day requirement to 20 days to change listing, which is the standard language in most rules. .SDWF-Camo is monitoring and supporting as written. No action scheduled https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/21983/211004
SB 76 revise provisions regarding public access to certain meandered bodies of water. SDWF-Camo has been working with the sponsor and we will monitor No action scheduled.https://mylrc.sdlegislature.gov/api/Documents/211514.pdf
Finalizations:
How to contact your Legislator:
Go to https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Contacts/44 this will pull up all members of the House and Senate simply click on the Legislator you want your message sent to and create or paste your message.
If you do not know who your Legislator is go to this link:
https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Find
Or call and leave a message with the pages; tell them who message is for, the message, who you are. The page will deliver your phone message to their desk
Senate 773-3821
House 773-3851
Please write your response in your own words. It is fine to use our suggestions, but best if you do not simply just copy our points. Make your message a personal note from you to them. Include a family fishing picture if you have one for effect. As always, be polite and respectful.
Please include your name, number and address on all messages sent to your Legislators.
Thank you for all that you do! Together we can and do make a difference!
Friday, January 15, 2021
Legislative Daily Update: Day 4 of 37
Brought to you by SDWF Camo-Coalition
Here is a listing of bills so far, looks like some of the Hose bills will be heard next Thursday will put it down when they are scheduled.
HB = House Bill SB = Senate Bill
SDWF comments on the Bill
Location of Bill and scheduled hearing of Bill
Link to actual Bill
House Bills:
HB 1034 revise certain youth hunting requirements. Changes the age definition for youth from 16 to 18, No action scheduled https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22024/210653
HB 1035 remove the locking seal requirement for the transportation of big game animals. Does away with the recruitment to have a tag, No action scheduled https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22025/210654
HB 1036 correct technical errors in certain code cross-references regarding the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. SDWF-Camo will monitor No action scheduled. https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22118/210656
HB1042 revise certain provisions regarding riparian buffer strips. It appears it changes some criteria SDWF-Camo will monitor No action scheduled. https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22063/210672
HB1047 provide limited deer and antelope licenses to landowners. GFP is supporting the ability of Non-Res landowners to get up to 2 tags for their land, as long as they own a min. of 160 ac, these proposed tags are good for only on their own land. The problem is last year 10,000 residents didn’t get their first choice of ER deer, and with an additional possibility of 8,000 more tags where do you think the number will be cut from? No action scheduled. https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/22117/210782
Senate Bills:
SB 72 revise notification requirements for listing and delisting species on the threatened and endangered species list. If passed would allow a rule to be placed to allow SDWF-Camo will monitor No action scheduled https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/21983/211004
Finalizations:
How to contact your Legislator:
Go to https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Contacts/44 this will pull up all members of the House and Senate simply click on the Legislator you want your message sent to and create or paste your message.
If you do not know who your Legislator is go to this link:
https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Find
Or call and leave a message with the pages; tell them who message is for, the message, who you are. The page will deliver your phone message to their desk
Senate 773-3821
House 773-3851
Please write your response in your own words. It is fine to use our suggestions, but best if you do not simply just copy our points. Make your message a personal note from you to them. Include a family fishing picture if you have one for effect. As always, be polite and respectful.
Please include your name, number and address on all messages sent to your Legislators.
Thank you for all that you do! Together we can and do make a difference!
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Jan. 6, 2020
The Honorable Senate President Pro Tempore Sen: Lee Schoenbeck
The Honorable Speaker of the House Rep. Spencer Gosch
The 2020 South Dakota Integrated Report for Surface Water Quality Assessment
Dear Sirs: The South Dakota Wildlife Federation Board of Directors is opposed to the merger of the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture. These two organizations perform distinctly different missions and should be separate. If allowed, South Dakota becomes the only state to not have a separate department focused on environmental issues. The vast majority of DENR’s mission has nothing to do with agriculture. The portion that does overlap is primarily of a regulatory nature. DENR is essentially the enforcement agency when it comes to agricultural operations complying with state and local laws. Various boards under DENR spend significant time in contested hearings, and DENR’s enforcement division often interacts with agricultural operations, through permit approvals and enforcement. The Department of Agriculture’s mission is “to promote, protect and preserve South Dakota agriculture for today and tomorrow.” One of the few areas that they overlap involves conservation and DENR’s conservation resources are limited and a small part of its mission. The conflicting nature of the two departments is summarized in the following recent report known as the 2020 South Dakota Integrated Report for Surface Water Quality Assessment. The reports states that “South Dakota has about 10,094 miles of perennial rivers and streams (Table 1) and about 87,474 miles of intermittent and ephemeral streams. About 5,875 stream miles have been assessed in the past five years. During this 5-year interval, 22% of assessed stream miles were found to support all their assigned beneficial uses; 78% did not support one or more beneficial uses. DENR has listed a total of 97 different streams or stream segments as impaired requiring TMDL development. Similar to previous reporting periods, nonsupport for fishery/aquatic life uses was caused primarily by total suspended solids (TSS) from agricultural nonpoint sources and natural origin. Nonsupport for recreational uses was primarily caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination from livestock and wildlife contributions.” On the lake side, standards for Mercury concentrations were changed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency making most lakes non-supporting. Language in the reports changed substantially minimizing other sources of pollution. It is necessary to go back to the 2014 report to see what the issue was prior to the change in the mercury standard. Page 2 The 2014 South Dakota Integrated Report for Surface Water Quality Assessment states the following. “DENR has assessed 143 of the 572 classified lakes. The assessed lakes account for 75.1% of the total classified lake acreage. An estimated 44.2% of the assessed lake acreage was considered to support assigned beneficial uses. DENR has listed a total of 72 lakes as impaired and require TMDL development. Sediment and nutrients conveyed in surface water runoff are the main nonpoint source pollutants impacting South Dakota lakes and reservoirs. Similar to previous reporting periods, nonsupport for fishery/aquatic life uses was caused primarily by total suspended solids (TSS) from agricultural nonpoint sources and natural origin. Nonsupport for recreational uses was primarily caused by fecal coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination from livestock and wildlife contributions.” It is easy to see that agriculture contributes significantly to the pollution of South Dakota’s lakes and streams and what little enforcement action that has occurred regarding pollution violations has come through DENR’s enforcement division. About the only time DENR has taken enforcement action is when a written complaint is filed, as required by South Dakota law. An effort to make it easier for the public to report possible violations and initiate DENR investigations was introduced and defeated during the last legislative session. DENR staff members were among the leading opponents of making it easier to initiate investigations, primarily citing the lack of staffing. The message was clear that DENR and political forces at higher levels were not interested in enforcement actions to protect South Dakota’s lakes and streams. Now, when the two departments are combined it is very unlikely the general public will have any confidence in one division of the Department of Ag effectively investigating violations by agricultural operations. SDWF humbly asks the respective legislative bodies to make the inquires necessary to objectively determine whether this merger is in the best interests of South Dakota’s water resources. Any personnel savings will be minimal at a time when budgetary issues do not seem pressing. The public’s loss of confidence in a combined department will result in more violations going unreported and South Dakota’s lakes and streams suffering the consequences. Sincerely, Zach Hunke President SD Wildlife Federation