The Natural Resources Commission (NRC), during its regularly scheduled meeting on July 16 at Fort Harrison State Park, unanimously declined a Citizen Petition for Rule Change to amend the definition of “state park,” in 312 IAC 8-1.5-21-5.
The goal of the petition was to re-designate Salamonie River State Forest as Salamonie River State Park and to identify Frances Slocum State Forest as a “small state park” or transfer it back to status as a state recreation area. Implied in the petition was that passage would result in the management of those State Forests as State Parks, which would exclude them from all forest management.
In its report presented to the NRC, the DNR multi-division committee that studied the proposal recommended the petition be denied, saying it sees “no synergies or advantages, in terms of fiscal or resource management, with the request … the reality is making such a change may actually reduce recreational opportunities, since hunting, various types of collecting and firewood cutting are not allowed or are limited under state park management.”
“DNR explored the requests of the petition and did not find just cause to move Salamonie River and Frances Slocum State Forests from the Division of Forestry to State Parks,” said DNR director Cameron F. Clark. “DNR manages its properties to serve Hoosiers, and these properties are best suited to be State Forests.”
The committee’s entire report, which includes forest management practices, recreation opportunities and more, is at nrc.IN.gov/2354.htm.
In other action, the NRC:
— Regarding DNR Law Enforcement, granted preliminary adoption to amend 312 IAC 5-9-2, which governs the operation of boats on Geist Reservoir, to add the embayment Juice Box Cove to the list of locations where a person must not operate a boat at greater than idle speed. The action is a step toward making permanent an expired temporary rule.
— Accepted reports of findings and proposed recommendations from its Division of Hearings to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding ratemaking petitions from Kent’s Harbor and the Sagamore Resort (Brookville Lake), Quakertown Marina, Inc. (Brookville Lake), and Hoosier Hills Marina, Inc. (Patoka Lake).
— On the recommendation of its Division of Hearings, granted re-adoption to 312 IAC 4 governing Law Enforcement and 312 IC 10.5 governing the Regulation of Dams, which were due to expire Jan. 1, 2020.
The NRC is an autonomous board that addresses topics pertaining to the DNR. More details on these actions are available at nrc.IN.gov/2354.htm under “Current Meeting Agenda.”
NRC members include the DNR director, heads of three other state agencies (Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indiana Office of Tourism Development, and the Indiana Department of Transportation), six citizens appointed by the governor on a bipartisan basis, the chair of the DNR’s advisory council, and the president of the Indiana Academy of Science. The Academy of Science president and the agency heads, other than the DNR director, may appoint proxies to serve the commission in their absences.
To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.
Media contact: Tara Wolf, DNR Communications, 317-232-4003.