environment

Michigan deer hunters will have a few changes to prepare for this year thanks to COVID-19. Staff and funding shortages, along with the decline in the number of hunters have forced the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to reduce the number of deer check stations.

Hunters will be required to “mask up” and follow social distancing guidelines at all check stations. At many stations, they will not be permitted to leave their vehicles.

Acting DNR Wildlife Division Chief Dan Kennedy said, “It is an unprecedented time in our state’s history, with serious challenges that affect everyone. We ask for your patience and grace as we adapt to meet these challenges. Michigan hunters have a long history of partnering with the DNR for the benefit and health of the state’s deer population.”

Despite these service reductions, the DNR still needs help tracking the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease and tuberculosis in the deer population. St. Clair County is not on the list for checking for either disease, but for hunters traveling to other parts of the state, they will want to check out the DNR’s 2020 Hunting Digest for full details. Visit michigan.gov.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Michigan Senate Bill 745 was signed into law on Tuesday. The legislation appropriates $2.8 billion in federal revenues from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in several ways.

Part of the money will go toward a temporary $300 per week in added unemployment benefits to go to current beneficiaries. The extra $300 will automatically be applied for those already on unemployment.

The benefit will continue until the money runs out. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office did not know how many weeks it would last and called on the federal government to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 recovery package. 

The rest of the appropriation will go toward keeping Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes by putting $8 million toward the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois as well as toward flood mitigation efforts in Detroit and disaster cleanup from the breached dam in Gladwin and Midland counties.

In his comments on the bipartisan deal, State Budget Director Chris Kolb credited the good working relationship with appropriations chairs, Senator Jim Stamas and Representative Shane Hernandez.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel continues to push back against the federal government’s policies regarding both education and the environment..

Nessel won a preliminary injunction to suspend a CARES Act Rule that allows COVID-19 response money to be shared with non-public schools. Nessel argued that the rule would set the stage for unfairly siphoning money away from public schools. The preliminary injunction was upheld and is prohibiting the Department of Education from enforcing its rule until a decision on the merits of the case can be rendered, according to a release from Nessel’s office.

Nessel and other democratic AGs are also going after the Trump Administration by filing a lawsuit to challenge curtailed requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act.

While the Trump Administration says the changes to the Act modernize and streamline environmental policy to “promote better decision making by the Federal government”, Nessel argued that, “This rule not only weakens the federal government’s obligation to ensure it minimizes impact on the environment, but limits the public’s ability to participate in the process.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland