TO:
MLA Members and Friends of MLA
FROM:
Molly Zender Zins,
Welcome to MLA’s
monthly
MLA members, please
send us your winter address.
MLA sends the quarterly Reporter
newsletter bulk rate and it cannot be forwarded, so we need your correct winter
address. Thanks!
MLA NEWS
Shoreland Standards
Still Being Drafted; Public Comment Period Yet To Come
Within the last month, a number of
emails with inaccurate information about the process and content of revised
shoreland standards for North Central Minnesota have been circulating throughout
lake communities. Accurate information on this process follows. A 35-member
Advisory Committee, representing private, public, and commercial interests
through the five counties, has been meeting with the DNR since last January to
work on drafting revised shoreland standards for the 5-county area of North
Central Minnesota (Cass, Crow Wing, Aitkin, Hubbard, and Itasca counties) as
part of the North Central Lakes Project, one of four regional projects in
Governor Pawlenty’s Clean Water Initiative. The focus of the pilot project is to
develop an alternative set of land use standards to address the complex and
controversial shoreland development issues facing these premiere “lake”
counties. Contrary to information contained in circulating emails, the lakeshore
community has been represented on the Advisory Committee, which includes MLA
staff, board members, Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, Hubbard Coalition
of Lake Associations, while 80 percent of the Advisory Committee owns lakeshore
property. The process of drafting revised shoreland standards has been a public
process and will continue to be a public process until the rules are completed
in mid-2006.
The issues being addressed are the
top issues identified through more than 12 public informational meetings
throughout the
The project is in Phase 2, the
concept and rule development stage. The draft standards are expected to be
completed by December 2005 and a public information and public hearing process
will follow in 2006. Public input from throughout the state will be
encouraged. Following public input,
the standards will be available as a set of alternate rules that any local
government may adopt. At this time, they are a set of recommendations to local
governments; in the future there may be discussion about application as
statewide rules, but that is not intended by the DNR at this time. Once a draft
is completed, MLA will work with the DNR to develop a fact sheet that outlines
the proposed standards, including the supporting science, and provide this
information directly to our members as well as post it on our website to insure
that concerned lakeshore property owners have informed opportunities to
participate and provide comment. For more detailed information, including the
status of the draft standards and the project timelines click
here.
LCMR Approves Second
Round of Volunteer Monitoring Training Funds
We are excited to announce the final
work plan approval by the Legislative Commission on
Specifically, RCM and MLA will focus
on expanding a training program for leaders of citizen monitoring groups to
research, set goals, and design a plan for their monitoring program (with up to
$3,000 for as many as 12 groups to implement their plan), provide eight "skills
building" training programs for up to 20 citizen volunteer monitoring groups,
and convene 250-300 citizens, non-governmental organizations, and local
governments at a statewide Lakes and Rivers Conference/Monitoring Congress in
the fall of 2006.
If you are interested in
participating in these training programs, please send an email to: abeckerkudelka@riversmn.org and in
the subject line state: “Request Application.” In the text be sure to include the
following information: contact person, organization, address, phone, and
email.
Public
Television Program: “
On October 30, at
While Minnesotans love their lakes,
they are being overused, overdeveloped, invaded by non native species, and
general water quality is being compromised to the point where
MLA Joins "Stop
Aquatic Hitchhikers!" Campaign
MLA
signed on as a partner organization in the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!
campaign, which is a national effort to create greater public awareness for
aquatic invasive species, how they can hitchhike from one water body to the
next, and the simple steps boaters and anglers can all take to prevent their
spread. Please take the following actions to stop the spread of aquatic
invasives:
- Inspect
your boat, trailer, and equipment and remove
visible aquatic plants, zebra mussels, other animals, and mud
before leaving a water access.
- Drain
water from bait buckets, live well, bilge, transom, and motor
before leaving a water access.
-
Dispose of unwanted live bait and worms in the trash.
- Spray/wash your boat,
trailer, and equipment with high pressure or hot water before going to
other waters, OR
- Dry everything for at least five
days.
MLA encourages lake associations across the state join the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! campaign efforts in
Check Your Docks and Boat Lifts for
Zebra Mussels This Fall
You or your lake association can
assist the Minnesota DNR in checking for the presence of zebra mussels this fall
by inspecting all boats, shore stations, docks, and shoreline rocks for
encrusted specimens. Place any found specimens in a plastic bag or store
in rubbing alcohol and immediately contact Gary Montz with the Minnesota DNR at
651-297-4888 or gary.montz@dnr.state.mn.us.
HOT
TOPICS
Mercury TMDL Public
Comment Period; October 18 Deadline
Strong
citizen voices are needed to tell the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
that much faster, mandatory mercury reductions are right for
Appeals Court
Overturns Wastewater Plant Permit
In early August a Minnesota
Court of Appeals 2-1 decision overturned an MPCA permit issued to the
communities of Annandale and Maple Lake for the development of a joint
wastewater treatment plant, which would discharge phosphorous into the north
fork of the already impaired Crow River.
Therefore, the Court ruled in accordance with the Federal Clean Water
Act, restricting the communities from contributing additional pollutants into an
already impaired water body, because the state has yet to establish a
“
”The MPCA said a coalition of
environmental, agricultural, business and local government groups has warned of
the possibility that the impaired waters provisions of the Clean Water Act could
affect economic growth in
City of
Instead of the old
slap on the wrist and payment of a fine, the City of
Revision of Lakes
Chapter to State Plan
The Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency is leading a revision of
In
addition to updating existing sections, more material will be added on nutrient
standards, advances in remote sensing techniques, toxic algal blooms, volunteer
monitoring, bacteria, phosphorus fertilizer requirements and several case
studies. This report is important
because projects of interest must be included under broad goals in the plan in
order for MLA and individual lake associations to apply for federal 319 grant
monies. MLA members are invited to
review the current plan and send recommendations for other lake management
priorities to pwest@mnlakes.org. To view the existing plan click here. Or to view the specific Lakes Chapter
click
here.
State Fair Survey
Shows Strong Support for Cleaning Up Waters
During this year’s
state fair, 13,000 fairgoers filled out public policy questionnaires sponsored
by the Minnesota House and Senate.
In the tabulated results, 74 percent favored dedicating part of the sales
tax to clean up
DNR Question of the
Week: Zebra Mussels Found in
By Jay Rendall, DNR Invasive Species
Program Coordinator
Q: Zebra mussels were recently
discovered in
A: Zebra mussels were first discovered
in
The fingernail-sized invaders attach
themselves to rocks, metal, rubber, wood, docks, boat hulls, native mussels and
even aquatic plants. Female zebra
mussels can produce as many as 1 million eggs per year, so they can become very
abundant. These mussels feed by filtering out small particles in the water, and
abundant numbers can filter so much that they may reduce this food on which
larval fish and other aquatic life depends. In some lakes where mussels have been
present in extremely high numbers for many years, such as
Boaters, anglers, and waterfowl
hunters can help prevent the mussels, and other invasive species, from spreading
to other lakes and rivers by: inspecting their watercraft and equipment and
removing mussels and aquatic plants after each use; draining all lake water from
boats and equipment; and if they have been moored, washing with hot water or
drying for 5 days.
Another DNR Question
of the Week:
Q:
A: For lakes without rivers feeding
into them precipitation, is almost everything. As groundwater levels decline,
land locked lakes experience a drop water level. Below normal rainfall during
the summers of 2004 and 2005, and the effects of above normal evaporation,
resulted in declining water levels. In July 2005, rainfall totals ranked among
the lowest on record for many locations in central and northern
Lakeshore Ordinances
Apply to Everyone
Across the state local officials and
lake associations aiming to conserve the health of
“But Pope County Attorney Belvin
Doebbert said the days of merely fining homeowners a few hundred dollars for
violating a building ordinance are over.”
“Dennis Myers,
Politicians Are Blind
to Conservation Movement
Excerpted
from an article by
Dennis Anderson, Star Tribune
Often in
politics movements are afoot long before they become readily apparent, even to
politicians. That's what's
happening in the field of conservation in Minnesota, a state where the governor
and leaders in the House and Senate are considering a special legislative
session to approve stadiums for the Twins and Gophers -- but not to clean up the
state's increasingly dirty lakes and rivers, nor to provide permanent funding
for improved management of Minnesota's woods, fields and other
waterways.
Republicans
Pawlenty and Sviggum and DFLer Johnson obviously feel comfortably removed enough
from these issues to lay the groundwork for a special legislative session
without advocating publicly for inclusion of bills to renew natural resources
funding and management. Yet this
time there just might be fallout for these guys. At Game Fair the last two weekends,
scores of volunteers gathered e-mail addresses and other contact information
from more than 4,500 voters, a sizable bunch that will be added to a data base
that has been growing steadily since the Ducks, Wetlands and Clean Water Rally
at the Capitol on April 2. Last
year, between 5,000 and 6,000 people attended the rally. This year, the goal is
10,000 or more. None of which may
be readily apparent to
Lone
In the spring of 2004 the Lone Lake
Property Owners Association (LLPOA) began discussing the rich natural and
cultural history of their lake and the importance of recording that story. The LLPOA formed a History Team in an
effort to address the need for a recorded lake history and the Team took on the
tremendous task of developing and publishing a book on the history of their
lake. With the leadership of Mary
Hoeve, over 20 topics were identified and researched in archives, courthouse
records, picture albums and by simply talking with long time lake
residents. Through months of
diligence and approximately 800 hours of hard work the History Team published
“Stories from Lone Lake,” a 170-page story depicting the legacy of Lone
Lake. The LLPOA was able to
subsidize a portion of the cost of the book, enticing purchases from as far away
as
The LLPOA was also recently selected
to participate in the Initiative Foundation’s
If you would like to
share a story about the achievements or updates of your lake association please
let us know! lakes@mnlakes.org
PUBLICATIONS/REPORTS/RESOURCES
Office of Water
Launches New Watershed Discussion Board
EPA's Office of Water
recently launched a new on-line Watershed Discussion Board. This forum offers
watershed protection practitioners and citizens a platform to exchange ideas, so
that innovative solutions and ideas can be easily shared in (near) real-time
cyberspace. EPA hopes to engage watershed leaders from around the country in
these interactive, on-line discussions. Share your expertise so that others can
learn from your experiences. The Forum currently includes the following six
categories: Community Involvement, Smart Growth/Low Impact Development, Source
Water Protection, Stormwater Best Management Practices, Sustainable Financing,
and Watershed Planning Tools. Visit www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/forum/forum.html
and join in!
Fire Plays a Role in
Aquatic Ecosystems
http://www.wisconsinlakes.org/e-lakeletter/Fire(Sept05).pdf
This newsletter, published by the USDA Forest Service, explores the role of
fire in aquatic ecosystems; looks at the ecological influence and impacts of
fire on water, watersheds, and aquatic species; examines some management
challenges and the debates in which they are enmeshed; and outlines research and
policy needs for effectively addressing fire, forest, water, and fish-related
issues in the future.
Special Report on the
The Detroit News
recently ran a special twenty-eight article report examining the health of the
CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS/MEETINGS
Invasive Species
Awareness Month in
Governor Pawlenty will be declaring
October 2005 as Invasive Species
Awareness Month in
What can you do? Go to the Minnesota Native Plant
Society website www.mnnps.org/invasive to check for
invasive species related events across the state. Or plan an event with your lake
association for your local area:
- Invite a speaker to talk about invasive
species at your next lake association meeting. Contact local natural resource managers,
conservation organizations or state agencies for assistance in locating a
speaker.
- Submit an article or press release on invasive species to your local
newspaper or Association newsletter.
Check the DNR website for facts on aquatic invasives in
- Create an informational poster or
flyers for display at local bait shops or convenience stores. Visit the Minnesota Sea Grant website
for resources: www.seagrant.umn.edu
- Join the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! campaign
in
Please contact the MLA office with
information on any events that you are sponsoring or to learn more about
resources to assist you in planning for
October 17-20, at the
The conference's
target audiences include professional staff and volunteers at the local,
regional, state, and federal levels involved with education programs relating to
nonpoint source, MS4 Phase I and Phase II (stormwater), watershed protection,
and TMDLs -- as well as environmental service groups that work closely with
adult and youth education programs. Here is your opportunity to meet people
with similar objectives and challenges who are concerned about building
individual and social capacity to address runoff pollution, and who are working
to develop creative information/education programs. Co-sponsored by
Aquatic Invasive
Species Regional Cooperation and Collaboration Conference
October 19-20, Lac
The Great Lakes Indian Fish and
Wildlife Commission is hosting a working conference to enhance regional
cooperation and collaboration on Aquatic Invasive Species management efforts.
The conference will bring together staff from Federal, State, Tribal, and County
governments as well as Lake Association leaders, volunteer coordinators, and
other non-government entities involved in the fight to protect regional waters
from invasive
species. For more
information, contact Miles Falck miles@glifwc.org or 715-682-6619
ext. 124
Click here
to visit the Conference
Website.
NALMS Conference—Lake
Effects: Exploring the Relationship between People and Water
25 Years of the
North American
November 9-11 in
Hold the Date—2006
Lakes and Rivers Conference
Mark your calendars
now! September 7—9, 2006
The 2006 Lakes and
Rivers Conference will be held at the
FUNDING RESOURCES
Bring Back the
Natives: A Public-Private Partnership for Restoring Populations of Native
Aquatic Species
The Bring Back the
Natives initiative (BBN) funds on-the-ground efforts to restore native aquatic
species to their historic range. Projects should involve partnerships between
communities, agencies, private landowners, and organizations that seek to
rehabilitate streamside and watershed habitats. Projects should focus on habitat
needs of species such as fish, invertebrates, and amphibians that originally
inhabited the waterways across the country. Preference will be given to support
projects that will keep sensitive or declining species off of the Endangered
Species List, or for listed species that have a chance for recovery and
de-listing within five to ten years. Pre-proposals should be submitted
electronically through the online application form available on the
NFWF
website by
Small Grants Program
for Wetlands Conservation
The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (NAWCA)
are accepting proposals for acquisition, enhancement, and restoration of
wetlands and wetlands-associated uplands habitat, with a focus on nongame and
other migratory birds. NAWCA and matching funds may only be used for wetlands
acquisition, creation, enhancement, and/or restoration; they may not be used for
signage, displays or other educational materials, programs, or equipment, even
though the goal of the project may ultimately be to support wetland conservation
education curricula. Proposals are due
Receiving the
We hope you have found
the
The mission of the