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Conservation staff report nonmetallic-mining inspections and Billy Boy flowage water-level process; DNR involvement and legal review pending
Summary
Conservation staff told the Sawyer County Land, Water, Forest Resources Committee they will begin nonmetallic-mining inspections and that a proposed Billy Boy flowage water-level increase is pending legal review of prescriptive flood and flowage easement rights required by the Wisconsin DNR.
Conservation staff briefed the committee on multiple programs and inspections underway as melting-snow conditions begin.
Nonmetallic-mining inspections and reporting
Staff said annual nonmetallic-mining inspections will begin as conditions permit. Inspections evaluate permitted materials on sites, the area of disturbed land and compliance with permit terms; results are used for state reporting and fee calculations. Staff asked whether the committee would prefer to receive inspection reports or to continue routing those updates through the zoning committee; the committee concluded zoning is the appropriate venue for permit renewals and routine inspection reports.
Billy Boy flowage water-level increase and DNR process
Staff described a multi-year effort to secure an official water-level increase for the Billy Boy flowage. They said legal counsel is reviewing whether the county has prescriptive flood and flowage easement rights required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources before the DNR will hold a public hearing on the proposed increase. If legal counsel confirms prescriptive rights, staff will submit documentation to DNR and the agency would schedule a public hearing.
Education and conferences
Staff reported Wisconsin Land and Water is partnering with SCOPE to offer scholarships for youth education and summer camps at no cost to the county. County conservation staff also attended the Wisconsin Land and Water Conference and the Lakes and Rivers Convention; two staff members were singled out for attendance at those events.
Next steps
Staff will proceed with nonmetallic-mining inspections, coordinate with zoning on reporting, continue the legal review related to Billy Boy flowage easement rights and return to the committee when the DNR public-hearing process is set to move forward.
