Section 9137 (4z)
This section requires the Department of Natural Resources to submit a report to the Governor and the Joint Committee on Finance by October 1, 2002, on the operation and profitability of concession operations in the state parks. In addition, the department is to investigate the option of contracting with the private sector for concession services.
I am vetoing this section because this provision would limit the department's ability to effectively administer the operation of concession services at state parks. The department continually evaluates these operations and investigates options for providing concession operations. In addition, several of these operations are now provided by not-for-profit charitable organizations and such a provision could adversely affect their fund-raising capabilities.
64.
Perrot State Park Bridge Study
Section 9137 (8m)
This section requires the Department of Natural Resources to conduct a study and submit a report to the Legislature by June 30, 2002, on the feasibility of constructing a bridge at Perrot State Park that would provide access by park users to Trempealeau Mountain.
I am vetoing this section because it is unnecessary. The department is already looking at the feasibility of the proposed bridge as part of the master planning process in cooperation with local units of government and other interest groups.
65.
Mountain-Bay State Trail Access
Section 1153m
This section allows the town of Weston to establish a public access site to the Mountain-Bay State Trail and prohibits the Department of Natural Resources from requiring the closure of another public access site to offset the opening of the new site.
I am vetoing this section because opening another public access site along a state trail without closing an existing access site may pose a safety hazard for recreational users of the state trail system. I will support such a provision if it can be demonstrated that it will not pose a safety hazard.
66.
Park and Forest Beaches
These provisions create an appropriation to provide $150,000 SEG annually from the Department of Natural Resources' Division of Land for the operation, development and maintenance of beaches at state park and southern forest properties.
I am partially vetoing section 395 [as it relates to s.
20.370 (1) (es)] to eliminate $150,000 SEG in fiscal years 2001-02 and 2002-03. I am vetoing these provisions because this is not an appropriate use of motor boat gas tax revenues.
67.
State Trail Funding
Section 590m [as it relates to trail operation]
This section creates an appropriation funded by all-terrain vehicle (ATV) registration fee revenue for operation and maintenance of trails in state parks and southern forests.
I am partially vetoing this section to limit the expenditure of ATV revenue to the maintenance of these trails. I object to the use of this fee revenue for trails that may not be open to ATV riders. However, I recognize the need to maintain these heavily traveled trails. I encourage the Department of Natural Resources, to the extent possible, to focus these funds on trails open for recreational vehicle use.
68.
Hunting and Fishing in State Parks
Sections 1162h, 1162p, 1162t, 1162w and 1162wm
These sections require the Department of Natural Resources to open all state parks to hunting and fishing if the park has received any funding from the fish and wildlife account of the conservation fund at any time during the preceding ten years. The Natural Resources Board may exempt a state park from this requirement.
S316
I am vetoing this provision because this is a policy issue that should be addressed by the Natural Resources Board as part of its public hearing process. In addition, I have concerns pertaining to the safety of other persons using the state parks during designated hunting seasons.
69.
Recreational Boating Earmarks
Sections 605 [as it relates to Black Point Estate, a recreational fishing pier, the Wausau Whitewater Course and a museum in Racine], 605b, 605c, 848r, 962 [as it relates to s.
20.505 (5) (c)], 972m, 1036yr, 1036yt, 9107 [as it relates to (1) (p) 2. and 3.], 9137 (4x), 9137 (5e), 9137 (6g), 9137 (7f), 9137 (8k), 9437 (2q) and 9437 (2x)
These provisions make various earmarks of funding from the recreational boating facilities aids appropriation for grants to:
•
Village of Whiting for a recreational fishing pier;
•
City of Wausau to upgrade the Wausau Whitewater Course;
•
City of Racine for the Discovery Place Museum;
•
City of Racine for dredging the Root River;
•
City of Oconto for dredging the Oconto River; and
•
City of Marinette for improvements to boat launching facilities on the Menominee River.
The provisions also repeal an earmark of recreational boating aid and general obligation bonding authority for Black Point Estate.
I am vetoing sections 605b, 605c, 1036yt, 9137 (4x), 9137 (5e), 9137 (6g), 9137 (7f), 9137 (8k), 9437 (2q) and 9437 (2x) and partially vetoing sections 605 [as it relates to a recreational fishing pier, the Wausau Whitewater Course and a museum in Racine] and 9107 [as it relates to (1) (p) 2. and 3.], because I object to the infringement on the Department of Natural Resources' and Waterways Commission's authority to decide which projects, and associated funding, will provide the best recreational opportunities to the many users of Wisconsin's waters. In addition, the funding earmarked for a museum in the city of Racine is excessive. Under the budget bill, the city of Racine will receive a separate grant of $1,000,000 of general obligation bonding authority for this project.
I am vetoing sections 848r, 972m and 1036yr and partially vetoing sections 605 [as it relates to Black Point Estate] and 962 [as it relates to s.
20.505 (5) (c)] to retain the earmarked funding and general obligation bonding authority for Black Point Estate. I object to the removal of these funds because Black Point Estate reflects an important part of Wisconsin's culture and history. This project would not be eligible for funding without these earmarks and although the future of the estate is still under discussion, these funds should remain available to preserve the estate in whatever manner is decided.
70.
All-Terrain Vehicle Ambassador Program
Section 1066ar
This section requires the Department of Natural Resources to establish a program to award grants to organizations that meet specified qualifications, including that the organization is a nonprofit corporation that is tax-exempt under section
501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, the section requires grant recipients to use the grant monies to enhance all-terrain vehicle law enforcement safety and education programs.
I am partially vetoing this section because I object to the requirement that eligible grant recipients be from a nonprofit corporation that is tax-exempt under section
501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Without this veto, many of the organizations that would benefit from receiving these grants would not be eligible because they are organized as social all-terrain vehicle groups.
71.
All-Terrain Vehicle Warden Report
Section 1066atk
This section requires the Department of Natural Resources to submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Finance on how the increase in conservation wardens has benefited the department's efforts to enforce laws relating to the operation of all-terrain vehicles and to educate the public on these laws.
I am vetoing this section because it places an unnecessary administrative burden upon the department.
72.
Chief Warden Authority
Section 1038bq
This section requires the Department of Natural Resources to designate a conservation warden as the chief warden. The chief warden will direct, supervise and control conservation wardens and the performance of their duties.
I am vetoing this section because I object to the infringement on the executive branch's authority to manage programs. I am requesting the department to follow-up on public complaints against a warden's actions to ensure accountability of the wardens.
73.
Determination of Fish and Wildlife Fee Use
Section 1117m
This provision would allow the Joint Committee on Finance to determine what constitutes an eligible administrative expense in regard to the management of fish and wildlife resources in the state.
I am vetoing this provision because I object to legislative interference in executive branch functions. Moreover, federal auditing processes are already in place to ensure that the Department of Natural Resources does not misuse fish and wildlife fee revenues for its administrative functions.
S317
74.
Commercial Fishing Suspended License
Section 1184m
This section authorizes a commercial fishing license holder to retain a license without conducting any commercial fishing operations in Green Bay for one period of up to seven years. The section also exempts a commercial fishing license holder from the minimum catch requirements during the seven-year period.
I am vetoing this section because it infringes on the Department of Natural Resources' and the Natural Resources Board's authority to protect and manage the fisheries of the state for the benefit of all residents and visitors. The department and the board are working to address the concerns of commercial fishing license holders and the declining fish populations in Green Bay and other Great Lakes waters. I request the department and the Natural Resources Board to continue working with the commercial fishing license holders and other users of these resources on this issue.
75.
Fish Ladder Exemption
Sections 1340r and 1345c
These sections prohibit the Department of Natural Resources from requiring the city of Jefferson to include a fish passage as part of a dam safety project and require the department to provide the city with a grant for the dam safety project.
I am vetoing these sections because they set an undesirable precedent by providing assistance to a project that does not comply with requirements established to protect Wisconsin's aquatic resources. I am requesting the department to continue working with the city of Jefferson to address this issue.
76.
Sturgeon Fishing Season Limit
Sections 1197g, 1197h and 9437 (4v)
These sections specify that a license for sturgeon spearing may not be issued beginning October 1 and ending on the last day of the open season for the spearing of rock or lake sturgeon except to a person who is a Wisconsin resident who turns fourteen-years-old during that period or a state resident serving in the U.S. armed forces.
I am vetoing these sections because this is a policy issue that should be addressed by the Natural Resources Board during its public hearing process.
77.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Bear Biologist
These provisions provide $24,000 in each fiscal year for an additional position at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The provisions also require the board of regents to ensure that the position focuses on bear hunting research and data collection. Although there is no language authorizing the position increase, the purpose of this funding was included in a Joint Committee on Finance amendment to the bill.
By lining out the appropriations and writing in smaller amounts that delete $24,000 in each fiscal year, I am vetoing the parts of the bill which fund this position. I am also vetoing section 1351zf to remove the requirement that the position focuses on bear hunting research. I object to having the Legislature define specific job description responsibilities in statute. Agencies need to retain the flexibility to prepare and modify job descriptions without obtaining legislative approval. However, in light of the interest in this area, I request that the board of regents consider addressing this issue within existing resources. In addition, I am requesting the Department of Administration secretary not to allot these funds.
78.
Group Deer Hunting
Sections 1171gb, 1171gd, 1171gf and 1171gh
These sections allow bow hunters to group hunt for antlerless deer after the close of the regular gun deer season.
I am vetoing these sections because the extension of group deer hunting privileges to bow hunters is unnecessary. Bow hunting for deer is traditionally a solitary pursuit. To improve chances of harvesting a deer, bow hunters reduce the number of factors that may alert a deer to their presence, including wearing camouflaged clothing and hunting individually. These factors make group bow hunting for deer unnecessary and a safety concern.
79.
Outdoor Wildlife Heritage Fund
These provisions create an outdoor wildlife heritage trust fund to receive gifts, grants, bequests or other contributions. Monies deposited in the fund may be expended for activities and programs listed in Chapter
29, Wisconsin Statutes.
I am vetoing these provisions because creating a separate fund for these monies is unnecessary. Donations may currently be made to the Department of Natural Resources exclusively for these programs and activities and are accounted for separately.
80.
New Positions
Section 395 [as it relates to s.
20.370 (4) (aq) and
(9) (mu)] provides $70,000 SEG in fiscal year 2001-02 and $87,000 SEG in fiscal year 2002-03 for an additional 2.0 FTE SEG positions in the Department of Natural Resources. The positions consist of 1.0 FTE SEG position for a Wisconsin River coordinator and 1.0 FTE SEG program assistant position for the Medford ranger station.
Although there is no language in the budget bill that authorizes these increases, the purposes of this funding were included in Joint Committee on Finance and Senate amendments to the bill.
S318
By lining out the Department of Natural Resources' appropriations and writing in smaller amounts that delete the following amounts from s.
20.370 (4) (aq), $46,000 SEG in fiscal year 2001-02 and $55,000 SEG in fiscal year 2002-03 and s.
20.370 (9) (mu), $24,000 SEG in fiscal year 2001-02 and $32,000 SEG in fiscal year 2002-03, provided for these purposes, I am vetoing the parts of the bill which fund these 2.0 FTE SEG positions. I object to having the Legislature manage agency programs and reduce departmental flexibility by directing the allocation of staff. I am requesting the Department of Administration secretary not to allot the funds and not to authorize the 2.0 FTE SEG positions.
81.
Geographic Management Requirements
Sections 1042g and 1042i
Section 1042g requires the Department of Natural Resources to include the LaCrosse-Bad Axe Watershed and the Kickapoo River Watershed in the same management unit if the state is divided for management purposes. In addition, section 1042i requires the department to include Crawford and Vernon counties in the region that covers the west central part of the state for management functions.
I am vetoing this provision because it is unnecessary. The sections infringe on executive branch authority to manage department resources.
82.
On-line Bidding for the Automated License Issuance System
Section 1158m
This section requires the Department of Natural Resources to post specifications for the operation of an automated license issuance system on an Internet site maintained by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. In addition, the section specifies that the Internet site provide a means for contractors to electronically post bids and view bids posted by other contractors.
I am vetoing this section because such a system would be difficult to maintain and the provision limits the Department of Natural Resources' flexibility in awarding the contract to the most qualified bidder.
83.
Tourism Funding
