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Votes at a glance: Natural Resources Board actions on Feb. 20, 2025
Summary
At its Feb. 20 meeting the Natural Resources Board approved several rules and motions affecting deer management, air quality administrative rules, groundwater PFAS rulemaking hearings and stewardship/land items; it postponed a trawling regulation adoption for one month. This roundup lists each formal action, status and next steps.
The Natural Resources Board took multiple formal actions at its Feb. 20, 2025 meeting. Below is a concise roundup of the principal votes and procedural outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript. Each entry lists the action, the immediate outcome and the next steps announced by staff.
Deer management units (NR 10): Adopted emergency order WM-11-24E and board order WM-12-24 to revise deer management unit boundaries. Outcome: Approved (roll-call/voice vote). Next steps: Emergency order will be published and take effect on publication; the department will brief county deer advisory councils (CDACs) and hold required post-adoption hearings while the permanent rule proceeds through legislative review.
Preliminary public hearing for NR 140 (PFAS in groundwater): The board authorized a preliminary public hearing and comment period to revise NR 140 numeric groundwater standards to reflect new Department of Health Services recommendations and federal guidance (DG-2-25). Outcome: Approved (voice vote). Next steps: Staff to schedule hearings and publish statement of scope for the proposed rule.
Air program (Chapter NR 439; AM-05-22): Board adopted germane modifications to board order AM-05-22 revising NR 439 (methods and procedures for demonstrating compliance with air pollution regulations). Outcome: Approved (voice vote). Next steps: Department to resubmit modified rule to legislative committees and continue stakeholder engagement.
Deer management boundary votes noted above were the meeting’s most extensive public-comment topic; the board also recorded multiple approvals and scope statements below.
Stewardship and water/sewer scope statements: The board approved statements of scope for two rulemaking dockets—WY-09-24 (sewerage project approval requirements) and WA-14-24 (solid waste/nonlandfill management modernization). Outcome: Both scope statements approved. Next steps: Staff to convene technical committees and proceed with drafting and public comment per administrative procedure.
Trawling regulations on Lake Michigan (Board order FH-01-23): The board held a presentation and public testimony and then postponed action. Outcome: Motion to postpone adoption until the April meeting (passed). Next steps: Staff to clarify cod-end mesh measurement language and return with revisions.
Land donations and project-boundary expansions (multiple parcels): The board approved acceptance of several land donations and minor project-boundary expansions, including parcels for the Anapia State Trail and a 37.44-acre donation to Chequawkie Prairie / Carroll Beach State Natural Area in Kenosha County. Outcome: Approved (voice vote). Next steps: Thank-you letters/certificates and property record updates.
Retirement recognitions and routine real-estate approvals: The board approved retirement recognitions and routine land transactions on the department’s consent calendar. Outcome: Approved (voice vote). Next steps: Staff to finalize acknowledgements and file transfers.
How to follow up: The department will post meeting materials and formal rule documents (scope statements and proposed rule text) to its website as they are filed with the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse. Parties interested in specific rules (for example NR 10, NR 140, AM-05-22, FH-01-23, WY-09-24, WA-14-24) should monitor the DNR rule docket pages and the Natural Resources Board agenda pages for the next procedural steps and public-hearing dates.
