ADVISORY COUNCIL REPORT for 9/15/2006

The meeting was called to order by vice chairman Bob Bolinger. 14 were present with 10 missing and 7 guests. The chairs opening remarks, and the determined agenda, and the meeting minutes of June 16 (approved) lead into the public comments.

Dale Franz, author of The Pigeon River Country, is in the process of updating the book and expects it to be ready for print is six months. Dale invited the members to contact him if there were any items of interest that he should add to the book.

Bob Bolinger presented an update submitted by Chairman Gustafson, on The Concept of Management (COM). The Steering committee has met twice to review and edit subcommittees' drafts. The process continues and a draft of the entire document is expected to be available at the December 8th meeting.

Oil & Gas Committee Report

Ken Glasser reported that it was the committee's hope that no new leases would be approved until the COM update was complete. The group is hopeful that an adequate amount of time will be given to the group to review the updated COM in detail. The group discussed the difference in leases in the area outside the Consent Agreement but within the PRC. There was discussion about future purchases including both the land and the mineral rights. There was also a discussion concerning the earlier leases and the creation of the Trust Fund. A question was asked about the condition of the wells and pipelines in the PRCF. Randy Sanders, Merit Energy, responded to this question. He said Merit Energy is in the process of upgrading the old facilities. In the process of upgrading the facility tank, it was discovered that there is groundwater contamination in the Charlton 4 Production Facility. Merit Energy is evaluating the extent of the contamination and will develop a corrective action plan for clean-up. It should be noted that these sites were inherited from a previous owner based on a transfer settlement agreement. PRCAC believes all the sites, active and abandoned, should be tested.

Sinkhole Lake Proposal Update

DNR Fisheries biologist Tim Cwalinski presented a proposal to open seven previously closed sinkholes and stock four with fish and gave an update on the fisheries. North Twin, South Twin, and Lost Lakes are proposed to be opened for fishing. Hemlock, Ford, West Lost and Section 4 Lakes would be opened for fishing and stocked. Some members agreed with opening the lakes but not stocking them with fish. Other members expressed concern over land erosion and were opposed to opening any of these lakes. There was discussion about restricting access to the lakes to minimize erosion and limit the number of fish. Handouts were available with stream surveys, future trout research on the Black River, populations of the streams, and water temperature. Presentation included Black, East Black, Milligan, Sturgeon, West Branch Sturgeon, Pigeon Rivers and Canada Creek.

Standards and Limitations Committee Report

Arch Reeves updated the Council on the meeting with PRC staff and to discuss the COM. Arch also briefed the Advisory Council on the proposal to replace the Tin Bridge. At a meeting with the Cheboygan County Road, DEQ and other members of DNR on August 2, plans were shared to construct a two-lane bridge to replace the existing one-lane bridge. There was a question about the need for any bridge at that location. After discussion, motions, and votes, the results are the group would like to see a new proposal for a one-lane bridge.

Horse Camps

Dick Myers wanted to discuss issues with horseback riding in PRC. People are not limiting their camping to the 15 designated off-sites and horses are being ridden on trails marked as off limits to horses. Smethurst offered to lead a field trip of any Council members who were interested in seeing first hand the use of the PRC by people with horses.

EX-OFFICIO DNR REPORTS

Forest, Mineral, & Fire Management

Dale Garlock is continuing to work on getting appointments to the Advisory Council for the members whose terms have expired. Garlock also reported that the guidelines for Forest Stand Retentions in timber sales will be updated as required by Forest Certification.

Wildlife

Brian Mastenbrook reported testing would be done on waterfowl for Avian Flu. He also reported on a meeting with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

PRCF Management

Don Mittlestat distributed information about opening a snowmobile trail near Mullet Lake and Merit Energy's analysis of marginal wells and annual production records. Mittlestat also reported that there will be a meeting set up with the Otsego Co Road Commission to discussion replacement of the Pigeon Bridge on Sturgeon Valley road.

SPECIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

Held at the special request of Chairman Pete Gustafson on Oct. 24th at the DNR Regional Headquarters building in Gaylord, about 2 hours was spent discussing the replacement bridge over the Pigeon River on the Sturgeon Valley Rd. There was agreement that the bridge should be clear span which rules out a timber bridge. We decided that a concrete bridge with color added to make it blend in to the surrounding area would be good. We also asked the engineer to look into the use of wood for the guardrails. There was some discussion about water run off, and we asked that the design be such that any run off from the bridge or the roadway not be into the river. After some discussion for and against there was a motion made and passed to accept with little change the sinkhole lake proposal. There was also some time for discussion on the Tin Bridge replacement. The only motion on this bridge was that we did not want it to be surfaced with black top. The plan proposed for the Sinkhole Lakes was also approved. (Report by Eugene Horan)

Oil & Gas Committee Meeting

The Oil & Gas Committee of the Pigeon River Country Advisory Council met on October 25th for what was to have been a an update on the soil and ground water pollution discovered at the Corwith 4 Central Processing Facility (CPF) on Lost Cabin Trail. Instead, the Committee members were stunned when presented with Aurora Gas & Oil's plans for the Blue Lake Tract. It seems that Aurora has asked the DNR & DEQ to approve some nineteen locations -- which is approximately four to five times more locations than when previous attempts to drill in the Blue Lakes Tract were proposed. These earlier plans were eventually abandoned in the face of opposition from the Advisory Council.

However, according to the present law, 31 wells (one per 80 acres) could be allowed on the approximately 2528 acres of the Blue Lakes tract. Nevertheless, the Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Council adopt a resolution to ban all drilling on the Blue Lakes Tract, which except for three short access roads that end at parking areas, has been closed to wheeled motorized vehicles ever since the state acquired the property. Of course, eventually a compromise will need to be reached. Some months ago, the Advisory Council voted to accept the fact that a certain amount of surface disruption will have to be tolerated on Lands annexed to the Pigeon River Country Forest where, as is the case with the Blue Lakes Tract, the mineral rights are not in the hands of the state. The Council recognized such a compromise is the price of having acquired these lands for the future needs of the public.

However, even if the DEQ does approve the drilling, the DNR still has some control over what takes place on the surface. The pollution problems that have been discovered at the Corwith 4 CPF close to the Black River (as well as the Forest24 Facility) continue to indicate that oil and gas extraction and production remains a highly hazardous activity when it comes to the health of the forest, its lakes and rivers. The Pigeon River Country Association remains committed, as it has been all along, to insisting that the State retain full control over the activities involved in the use of our natural resources which belong, not to this or that lease-holder, or even just to this or that land or mineral rights holder, but to all of us, and which ultimately must be managed for the common good of all the citizens of the State of Michigan. (Report by Richard Kropf)

Late Breaking News (Nov. 14, 2006)

We have just received the news that George Wolter, a former member of the PRCA Board has died. George served for a number of years as the Association's Treasurer as well as secretarial-assistant, faithfully picking up the mail at the PRCA post office box, mailing out High Country Pathway guides and maps and banking proceeds. As long as his health allowed, he also served as a weekend volunteer at the PRCF Headquarters and Information Center. His funeral is scheduled for 1pm Saturday Nov. 18, Nelson Funeral Home, Gaylord. George's quiet demeanor and faithful service will be much missed.