SD GFP NEWS FOR 2-10-09

GFP Commission Adds Proposals

PIERRE, S.D. – The Game, Fish and Parks Commission accepted two formal rule proposal requests from two citizens, and added them to the list of proposals they will consider at their March meeting.

“State law provides a process that allows private citizens to make a formal request

to our Commission to adopt, amend or repeal a rule,” GFP Director of Wildlife Tony Leif said. “The Commission can reject the formal request and state its reasons for doing so, or it can treat the request as a rule proposal and initiate the normal rule-making process.”

One request involved public water safety zoning on Pactola Reservoir in the Black Hills.

Two water safety zones were eliminated at the request of the U.S. Forest Service in 2008. The petition asked that the zones – one at Musekamp Draw, also known as Airplane Draw, and the other at Boarding House Gulch – be reinstated. because the two areas have more recreational activity then noted in official documents, and in addition the safety zones would protect the fishery in these areas.

A second petition requested that the minimum age that children be required to wear personal floatation devices when a watercraft is operated a greater than no wake speed be raised from seven years old to 12. The stated intent of this petition was to expand protection for young people.

In addition, the same petition requested that anyone engaged in a water sport such as waterskiing or water tubing be required to wear a personal floatation device.

Both of these rule proposals will be added to the public hearing when commissioners gather for their March 5-6 meeting at the AmericInn in Fort Pierre.

Citizens who would like to provide written comments on the proposal may do so up until 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 4. Those comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or e-mailed to wildinfo@state.sd.us. All comments must have the sender’s full name and address in order to become part of the public record.

Comments may also be presented in person at the GFP Commission meeting during the public hearing which is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, March 5.

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