In this post about a month ago, I informed everyone about some important changes that were going to effect Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources.  With Executive Order 2009-45, Govern Granholm merged the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality into one new entity – the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

While I believe the move overall was a good one, I was deeply concerned with this particular part of the Executive Order:

The Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment shall be the head of the Department.  Consistent with Section 3 of Article V of the Michigan Constitution of 1963, the Director of the Department shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to disapproval under Section 6 of Article V of the Michigan Constitution of 1963, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

Since that time the Senate has already passed a resolution that would send the EO back to the Governor, but we still need the Michigan House of Representatives to do the same.  The MUCC sent me a very informative letter regarding House Concurrent Resolution 32, and not only did I do my part and contact my local representatives and encouraged them to vote for and pass this resolution; I’m also encouraging all of my fellow Michigan sportsmen and women to do the same.

Please call or email these three House leaders: (1) Speaker Andy Dillon, (2) Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer and (3) Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes.  We need to tell them that science, not politics, should play the leading role when it comes to our state’s natural resources.  Our Natural Resources Commission should be appointing the Director of the DNRE, not a politically motivated governor.

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