FY 2002-03 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET - S.B. 1106 (S-1): COMMITTEE SUMMARY

Senate Bill 1106 (S-1 as reported)

Committee: Appropriations

FY 2001-02 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation $252,677,600
Changes from FY 2001-02 Year-to-Date:
1. Bovine Tuberculosis. New General Fund dollars were added for bovine tuberculosis eradication and control efforts. 2,000,000
2. Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps. All General Fund support for the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps is eliminated, as well as $200,000 in MCCC Endowment Fund support for Corps assistance on the Tricentennial Park project in Detroit. The Senate included $1,000 each in increased spending authority from Federal Americorps and Homeland Defense sources of financing. (1,922,900)
3. Park Improvement Bond Debt Service. The budget includes sufficient Park Improvement Fund appropriations to cover the FY 2002-03 debt service on $15.5 million in park improvement revenue bonds. 1,200,000
4. State Parks Inflationary Adjustments. The budget includes General Fund, Park Improvement Fund, and State Waterways Fund increases to cover mandated inflationary adjustments, as well as inflationary increases in utility, waste management, and motor transport costs 1,445,800
5. Timber Marking. The Governor and Senate eliminated the forest resource revenue appropriation added by the Legislature in FY 2001-02 for expanding timber marking activities. (2,000,000)
6. Early Retirement Sick/Annual Leave. Amounts used for terminal annual and sick leave payments under the 1997 early retirement are eliminated. (933,300)
7. Staff Reductions. The budget reduces staff and funding in order to offset the GF/GP cost of economic increases in salaries and wages. (296,900)
8. Department of Information Technology. A new Information Technology appropriation unit includes $15,535,300 transferred from various operating line item appropriations. There is a net reduction of 97.0 FTEs. 0
9. History, Arts, and Libraries Transfer. General Fund support for part of an accounting position is transferred to the new Department. (50,000)
10. Forest Management Initiative. The forest resource revenue appropriation for forest roads, bridges and facilities construction and maintenance is transferred to the Capital Outlay budget. (800,000)
11. Forest Development Fund Supplemental. A pending FY 2001-02 supplemental is assumed in the FY 2002-03 budget base. 1,042,900
12. Economic Adjustments. Economic adjustments, including $8,600 for unclassified salaries and the elimination of $998,000 in prior year lump sum salary payments, were included. 1,447,200
13. Other Changes. The budget included adjustments to reflect the availability of Federal, private and State restricted sources of financing; inflationary adjustments in the stream habitat programs, the payments in lieu of taxes appropriation and for the Natural Resources Commission; the elimination of the one-time National Christmas Tree appropriation; and increased funding for a snake study at Camp Grayling, a hunter education program, snowmobile law enforcement, a noise reduction study at Silver Lake State Park, increased oil and gas lease audits; and assumption of the operation of the St. Aubin Marina in Detroit. 610,000
14. Comparison to Governor's Recommendation. The Senate is $2,000 Gross, $0 GF/GP over the Governor.
Total Changes $1,742,800
FY 2002-03 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Gross Appropriation $254,420,400
FY 2002-03 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET - BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS
Changes from FY 2001-02 Year to Date:
1. Information Technology. The Governor and Senate included new language requiring the Department to pay user fees to the Department of Information Technology in accordance with an interagency agreement between the two Departments. New language is also included authorizing the designation of the appropriation for information technology as a work project. (Sec. 1001 and 1002)
2. Livestock Indemnification. The Governor deleted, the Senate retained language requiring the Department to reimburse the Department of Agriculture for the cost of indemnification payments made for livestock killed by wolves. (Sec. 501)
3. Water Control Structures. Language prohibiting the Department from impeding the certification of water control structures and requiring the Department to fund non-water-quality studies required of the Department by the Department of Environmental Quality or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was deleted by the Governor. and retained by the Senate. (Sec. 601)
4. Fish Advisories. The Governor deleted, the Senate retained language requiring the Department to prominently display the Michigan Department of Community Health website in the fishing guide, and to include alternative sources of MDCH fish advisory information. (Sec. 402)
5. Dispersed Camping Fee. The Governor and Senate deleted language prohibiting the assessment of fees for dispersed camping on State forest land.
6. Timber Marking. The Senate modified Governor's language establishing timber marking targets, by moving the provision encouraging the continued efforts of the workgroup on old-growth forest stewardship into a separate language section. The language is modified further by defining "old-growth" as forest stands of pre-1880 origin. (Sec.801 and 802)
7. State Waterways Commission. New Senate language would require the Department, in cooperation with the State Waterways Commission to report on Commission activities in the prior year, and to develop and report on acquisition and development projects to be carried out with State Waterways and Harbor Development Fund dollars. (Sec. 215)
8. Hiring Freeze. The Senate modified language concerning a hiring freeze to exempt from the freeze vacancies that occur as a result of an early retirement program, and to require the filling of early retirement vacancies at a rate sufficient to ensure that the Department can carry out its mission. (Sec. 205)
9. Aircraft Maintenance. Language requiring the Department, in cooperation with the Departments of Transportation and State Police, to develop a plan for the maintenance, scheduling, and use of State-owned aircraft was included by the Senate. (Sec. 216)
10. Aeronautics Safety Officer. The Senate included language requiring the Department to establish an aeronautics safety officer position to coordinate safety functions with the Departments of Transportation and State Police, and authorizing the Department to spend appropriations for a share of the costs of the aeronautics safety position. (Sec. 217)
11. Reporting. The Governor and Senate retained a reporting requirement concerning grant and loan programs. (Sec. 210). The Governor deleted, the Senate retained reporting requirements on restricted fund balances. (Sec. 212) The Governor and Senate deleted reporting requirements concerning low lake and river water levels, the impact of nonnative species on the environment, planned State Park construction projects, progress on the unified surface and subsurface oil and gas ownership program, habitat improvement and treatment projects, and gifts and bequests.
12. Common Language. Language included in most FY 2001-02 budget bills that is deleted by the Governor and Senate includes sections requiring submission of privatization plans prior to implementation; and giving preference to the purchase of State or American goods over foreign products. The Governor and Senate modified language requiring the submission of reports via the Internet by deleting the requirement that the Department submit quarterly, in writing, the list of reports available on the Internet. (Sec. 208) The Governor deleted, the Senate modified the section requiring the Department to retain copies of all reports funded with Department appropriations by allowing for electronic storage of reports.

Date Completed: 03-11-02 - Fiscal Analyst: Pam Graham