General Stuff

Don’t Miss INCA’s Conservation Congress

When: Friday September 30th

Registration Ends September 20th
(You must be registered to attend)

Where: Abe Martin Lodge, Brown County State Park

Why: Indiana’s Future Depends on It.

Many of us have recognized the decrease in the recognition of the importance of Indiana’s natural resources over the years. You have to look no further than the steady decline in state funding for conservation over time.

We are at a “tipping point”. Millennials more and more consider “quality of life” when making employment and family decisions. Recent events highlight the importance of water quality and availability. There is a growing lack of understanding that a healthy natural environment is just good business. The list goes on and on …

Speakers include Bill McCoy from Patoka National Wildlife Refuge with welcoming remarks. Steven and Nancy Byers from the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin will discuss “Creating an Effective Coalition”. A fascinating grassroots story of what can be accomplished.

INCA’s Conservation Congress is an opportunity of stakeholders across Indiana to focus on the future of our natural resources and wildlife conservation. Your input is needed and valued. Space is limited, CLICK HERE, to register for the Congress now.

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Conservation Day at the Statehouse – March 24th

Join your voice with others concerned for Indiana’s natural resource future —

We will soon be past the half way point of this session of the State Legislature which will determine the future of conservation and natural resources in Indiana for the next two years, and perhaps much longer than that.

Come to the Statehouse March 24th for coffee, meet with your legislator(s) and let them know that Indiana’s natural heritage is their responsibility to see that resources are available to preserve and protect it for future generations … hope to see you on the 24th.

 

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Keep Informed — Join INCAs Email List

The 2015 Legislative session is getting organized and ready to start up. With as many issues facing legislators, much of their work is done in committee and brought to the floor for approval. While this is an efficient way to get things done, it is fast paced and sometimes not easy to follow.

INCA’s insiders keep track of all the issues affecting natural resource and conservation funding. Click here or on the tab above to join INCA’s email list to stay up to date and be informed.

(You need to be a member of an INCA member organization to join the list – 
check it out, you may be and don’t know it.)

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Button, button, who’s got the button …

Senate Bill 404, “canned hunting” failed to pass by one vote to move to the House of Representatives for consideration.  However that does not mean the subject is  “dead” for this session. The language, that was Senate Bill 404, may indeed pass on, similar to the “button” in the children’s game. It can arise again as an amendment to another bill that has passed one chamber of the Legislature and is under consideration by the other chamber, either in the House or Senate.

A possibility exists that the “canned hunting button” may appear as an amendment in Senate Bill 52, Criminal Penalties & DNR. (As long as the topic of the amendment is sort of close to the original subject, it passes parliamentary muster.)  Last year a similar “canned hunting” bill, SB 487  Shooting and Hunting Preserves, was passed by the Senate and the House, but didn’t make it out of Conference Committee. If “canned hunting” is amended into Senate Bill 52, you can get an idea of your Representatives position on it from his/her vote last year (click here).

Senate Bill 52 is assigned to the Corrections and Criminal Law committee in the House.

On the other hand, the “canned hunting button” may be amended into HB 1307  Various Natural Resource Matters, which passed in the House of Representatives and is being considered by the Senate now. It is assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee who passed the original SB 404 out of committee only to have it fall one vote short of passage in the full Senate – two Senators were absent for the vote. (The amended bill would have to go to Conference Committee and if approved by that committee then be voted on by each chamber for final passage.)

In addition to the obvious ethical issues involved in “canned hunting” there is great risk of introducing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) into Indiana’s natural deer population. Once introduced CWD cannot be contained or eliminated. Unlike the Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Carp the principle vector for CWD disease is the Interstate Highway system and the farms that raise captive deer.

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INCA Recommends Caution Tomorrow if you Travel to Indianapolis

The City of Indianapolis has announced its offices will be closed Tuesday, except for essential services. The State has not made such an announcement, nor has the General Assembly, which is a separate branch and thus would make any announcement about their status.  At this point we believe it is unlikely the legislature will be closed.  Well over half of the members stay in Indianapolis during the week.

We caution you to use your own judgment and do not feel pressured to come to Conservation Day if you are concerned about the commute.

We will still post cancellation if we find out that the Legislature or Statehouse indeed is closed.

 

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Weather Update for Conservation Day at the Statehouse

2014 Conservation Day at the Statehouse will stay on schedule tomorrow.

However … if the Governor should close state offices due to the weather obviously the event would be cancelled – this is pretty unlikely but check news outlets just in case.

Weather is extremely cold and some roads problematic. Please be safe and careful whether you are coming to Conservation Day or not.