October 2026 Agenda and Meeting Materials

Wisconsin Natural Resources Board

Agenda

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026

Location:
Tommy G. Thompson Center, Room 121
201 W Washington Ave
Madison, WI 53703

The meeting can be streamed live on YouTube: Oct. 28, 2026 NRB Meeting Broadcast

Notice Is Hereby Given that the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The Board will act on items 1-4 as listed on the agenda.

Notice Is Further Given that public testimony will be accepted both in person and via Zoom for this meeting. The deadline to request to testify and/or submit written comments for board consideration is 11 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2026.

Notice Is Further Given that matters concerning natural resource issues or the Department’s program responsibilities or operations specified in the Wisconsin Statutes which arise after publication of this agenda may be added to the agenda and publicly noticed no less than two hours before the scheduled board meeting if the Board Chair determines that the matter is urgent.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
   1. Calling the roll
   2. Secretary’s Remarks
   3. Approval of agenda for Oct. 28, 2026
2. CONSENT
   1. Approval of the brief of action from Sept. 23, 2026
   2. Acknowledgement of Donation – The Milwaukee Astronomical Society donated an observatory valued at $22,500. This donation will be used to provide educational programs and further share the night sky with visitors
      (Karen Hyun, Ph.D., Secretary)
   3. Acknowledgement of Donation – Friends of Blue Mound State Park donated a Terrain Hopper all-terrain mobility scooter valued at $23,680
      (Karen Hyun, Ph.D., Secretary)
   4. Acknowledgement of Donation – Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin donated $40,385.61 to the Bureau of Wildlife Management. This donation will be used to support the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
      (Karen Hyun, Ph.D., Secretary)
   5. Acknowledgement of Donation – The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin donated $59,750 to the Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation. This donation will be used to support the Wisconsin Bat Program
      (Karen Hyun, Ph.D., Secretary)
   6. Acknowledgement of Donation – Progressive Insurance donated printed informational and educational materials valued at $180,000
      (Karen Hyun, Ph.D., Secretary)
3. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION CONCERNING ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA

4. Action Items
   Adoption (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)

   1. Request that the Board adopt Board Order DG-02-25, for proposed rules affecting ch. NR 140, related to setting numeric standards to minimize the concentration of polluting substances for certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in groundwater based on the 2025 DHS recommendations
      (Carla Romano, Groundwater Section Manager)

   Scope Statements (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)

   2. Request that the Board approve the statement of scope for Board Order DG-01-26 and conditionally approve a public hearing and submittal of the proposed rules to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse. This rule package affects ch. NR 140 related to setting numeric standards to minimize the concentration of pesticide substances in groundwater (Cycle 13)
      (Carla Romano, Groundwater Section Manager)
   3. Request that the Board approve the Statement of Scope for FH-09-26 and conditionally approve the public hearing notice and notice of submittal of proposed rules to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse, for proposed rules affecting chs. NR 19-26, related to changes to fishing regulations on inland, outlying and boundary waters
      (Kari Lee-Zimmermann, Fisheries Regulation & Policy Specialist)
   4. Request that the Board approve the Statement of Scope for FH-13-26 and conditionally approve the public hearing notice and notice of submittal of proposed rules to the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse, for proposed rules affecting chs. NR 20 and 25, related to gill net requirements for commercial fishing
      (Kari Lee-Zimmermann, Fisheries Regulation & Policy Specialist)

   Other Approvals (Citizen Testimony and Written Comment Welcome)

   5. Land Donation for the Clam River Fishery Area in Burnett County
      (Kaylin Helm, Real Estate Section Manager)
   6. Land Exchange for Ridgeway Pine Relict State Natural Area in Iowa County
      (Kaylin Helm, Real Estate Section Manager)
   7. Request that the Board approve department recommendations for Lake Superior lake trout quotas
      (Brad Ray, Lake Superior Fisheries Team Supervisor)
5. OPEN FORUM (Citizen testimony and written comment on topics not addressed in other agenda items welcome)
6. INFORMATION ITEMS (Written Comment Welcome)
   1. Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Update
      (Karson Cisneros, Great Lakes Specialist, Bureau of Fisheries Management; Todd Stuth, Lake Michigan Commercial Fishing Board Chair)
   2. Lake Superior Commercial Fishing Update
      (Brad Ray, Lake Superior Fisheries Team Supervisor, Bureau of Fisheries Management; Craig Hoopman, Lake Superior Commercial Fishing Board Chair)
   3. An information item on the 2026 epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) outbreak in white-tailed deer in Wisconsin
      (Jasmine Batten, Wildlife Health Section Supervisor, Bureau of Wildlife Management)
7. DEPARTMENT SECRETARY’S MATTERS
   1. Retirement Recognitions
      1. Christine Hartig, Division of Environmental Management, 6 years
      2. Ronald Weber, Division of Forestry, 13 years
      3. David Andruczyk, Division of External Services, 14 years
   2. Acts of the Department Secretary
      1. Real Estate Transactions
   3. Department Secretary’s Matters
8. BOARD MEMBERS’ MATTERS
   1. Board Member Matters

For up-to-date information about the NRB, including meeting agendas, materials and how to provide comments or testify, please visit https://dnr.wi.gov/about/nrb.

For any NRB-related questions, to request information or to submit written comments, please contact:
Ashley Bystol, NRB Liaison
telephone: 1-608-267-7420
email: DNRNRBLiaison@wisconsin.gov

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