Public meeting set for Dec. 1 in Ashland on Lake Superior fisheries management
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3435
PORTAGE, Wis. - The public is invited to review and comment on two draft documents that are part of the development of a new public shooting range on the Mud Lake Wildlife Area in the Town of Lowville at a public meeting scheduled for Dec. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Columbia County Law Enforcement Center, 711 East Cook Street, Portage. Comments can also be submitted through Feb. 27, 2015.
A draft of a proposed amendment to the Columbia County Planning Group Master Plan and a draft Environmental Impact Statement are available for review by searching the DNR website,dnr.wi.gov, for keywords "environmental impact analysis." and clicking on the link for "current EIA documents" under the "Public involvement" tab.
Comments may also be submitted to: Eric Lobner, Region Program Manager for Wildlife Management, 3911 Fish Hatchery Road., Fitchburg, WI 53711, phone: 608-275-3474, email:Eric.Lobner@Wisconsin.gov.
The Mud Lake location for the new public shooting range was recommended by an ad hoc citizens committee after reviewing the pros and cons of seven possible state-owned sites within the county and public input on two of the sites the committee felt were the best candidates.
The proposed master plan amendment is needed to reclassify approximately 10 acres of the Mud Lake Wildlife Area from "habitat management area" to "special management area." The draft EIS evaluates potential impacts to natural resources at and adjacent to the site.
"Our master planning guidelines require us to craft a plan amendment that reclassifies the area designated for the range to a category that allows this kind of development," said Eric Lobner, a DNR wildlife supervisor for the area. "The EIS identifies potential environmental impacts from the project on habitat, area wildlife and nearby human populations.
"The goals for the meeting and the comment period are to determine if we've missed anything in either the amendment proposal or the EIS and to gather additional feedback from the public on things like orientation of the range on the site, site features and amenities."
Following this public meeting and comment period the department will evaluate all comments and make any needed modifications to the amendment and EIS. The public will again have an opportunity to comment on a final amendment when it's presented to the Natural Resources Board for approval.
Dates and locations for these future comment opportunities will be announced.
The following counties are in South Central Wisconsin: Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Lafayette, Monroe, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Vernon.
The Public Affairs Manager for DNR South Central Wisconsin is Bob Manwell - 608-275-3317