FY 2001-02 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET - H.B. 4259 (S-1): SENATE-PASSED
House Bill 4259 (S-1, as passed by the Senate)
Committee: Appropriations
| FY 2000-01 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation | $257,040,100 |
| Changes from FY 2000-01 Year-to-Date: | |
| 1. Game and Fish Protection Fund. To bring Fund appropriations into line with annual revenue, the following adjustments were made: eliminated customer service initiative ($1,000,000), 8 wildlife biologist positions ($600,000), in-car computer funding ($1,500,000), 10 C.O. positions ($1,000,000), and $100,000 from the game and nongame wildlife grants program; shifted $1,000,000 in Fund appropriations to turkey permit fees and deer habitat sub-fund support. | (4,200,000) |
| 2. Great Lakes Fisheries Consent Decree. The budget includes $500,000 GF/GP for enforcement and $100,000 Game and Fish Protection Fund for a survey of the recreational fishing harvest in Treaty waters. | 600,000 |
| 3. Land and Water Conservation Grants. Federal grant funds are included. | 2,633,000 |
| 4. Seasonal Workers' Pay. State Parks Endowment and State Waterways Fund dollars are included for a wage increase for seasonal parks and recreation workers. | 862,500 |
| 5. Timber Marking. The House and Senate increased forest resource revenue appropriations for timber marking activities. | 2,000,000 |
| 6. Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps (MCCC) - Tricentennial Park. The House and Senate included MCCC Endowment Fund dollars for Corps assistance on the Tricentennial Park project in Detroit. | 200,000 |
| 7. Snowmobile Grants. Assuming a $10 increase in the snowmobile sticker fee, the House and Senate increased Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund dollars for trail maintenance grants. | 2,600,000 |
| 8. National Christmas Tree. The House and Senate appropriated forest resource revenue to provide the State share of the Pageant of Peace at the White House. | 100,000 |
| 9. National Forest Management. The House and Senate included a line item through which Federal funding could be appropriated if national forest management is delegated to the State. | 1,000 |
| 10. Bovine Tuberculosis. The House and Senate included Game and Fish Fund for 4 wildlife biologist positions to focus on bovine tuberculosis. | 300,000 |
| 11. Swimmer's Itch. The GF/GP appropriation for this 5-year study was eliminated. | (85,000) |
| 12. Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. Game and Fish Fund - Turkey permit fees subfund dollars were included to provide additional State matching funds for this program. | 400,000 |
| 13. Items of Difference. The Senate increased or reduced by $100 all line items that had not otherwise been changed from the House budget. | (200) |
| 14. Budgetary Savings. The Governor's and House budgets include a 0.5% GF/GP savings unit. The Senate applied the savings to items in which there were projected hiring freeze savings. | (282,500) |
| 15. Economic Adjustments. Includes $9,200 for unclassified salaries. | 4,047,400 |
| 16. Other Changes. Adjustments to reflect the availability of Federal and State restricted sources of financing, and mandated inflationary adjustments were made. | (6,179,600) |
| 17. Comparison to Governor's Recommendation. The budget exceeds the Governor's original budget recommendation by $5,187,500 Gross, $0 GF/GP. | |
| Total Changes | $2,996,600 |
| FY 2001-02 Senate Gross Appropriation | $260,036,700 |
| FY 2001-02 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET - BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS |
| Changes from FY 2000-01 Year to Date: |
| 1. Timber Harvest. The Governor, House, and Senate modified current language prohibiting the Department from allowing reduction of timber marked for harvest and sale to fall below 855,000 cords or 69,000 acres, to instead require the Department to prescribe appropriate treatment for 69,000 acres (Governor), or 63,000 acres (House and Senate), plus or minus 10%. The House and Senate language also encourages continued workgroup efforts to establish an old growth forest stewardship strategy. The House and Senate retained the current year requirement that the impact of timber harvesting on wildlife habitat and recreation be considered. (Sec. 901) |
| 2. Directional Drilling. House language prohibiting the Department from leasing Great Lakes bottomlands for directional drilling until the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) has accepted and approved recommendations of the 2001 Working Group on Oil and Gas Leasing Procedures was deleted by the Senate. The Senate included language prohibiting spending for leasing Great Lakes bottomlands for oil and gas exploration and drilling unless certain conditions or standards are met. (Sec. 1006) |
| 3. Timber Marking. The Senate modified new House language allowing the hiring of 20 temporary employees for timber marking to prohibit spending from the timber marking appropriation unless available revenue exceeds $22,857,700; to require the Department to determine and report revenue projections quarterly; and to allow spending to employ up to 20 temporary employees for timber marking if revenue is available. (Sec. 902) |
| 4. Fee Waiver. House language requiring the Department to waive permit fees for nonprofit entities conducting approved stream habitat improvement projects was deleted by the Senate. |
| 5. Parks Construction. The Senate included new House language requiring the Department to report on construction projects in State Parks that involve campsite or campground closures, including an assessment of the impact of the projects on costs, revenues, recreation, and park users. The language also requires the Department to notify the Legislature of planned reductions in park operations or recreation opportunities. (Sec. 803) |
| 6. Off-Road Vehicle (ORV)Trail Enforcement Grants. The Governor deleted, the House and Senate modified current language limiting allocations from the ORV trail improvement grants appropriation for law enforcement assistance to $25,000, to allocate not less than $25,000 for law enforcement assistance. (Sec. 1202) |
| 7. Legacy of Trees. The Governor, House, and Senate included new language allowing the allocation of up to $600,000 from forest resources management appropriations for the Detroit 300 Legacy of Trees Program. The House and Senate included language prohibiting the use of the funds for creating amenities for casinos. (Sec. 905) |
| 8. Fish Advisories. The Governor, House and Senate deleted language requiring a report on the number of fish advisory booklets distributed to fishing license vendors. The House and Senate included new 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. 404) |
| 9. Bovine Tuberculosis. The Senate included new House language allocating wildlife management appropriations for the employment of 4 wildlife biologists who would be responsible for the investigation and analysis of the presence of bovine tuberculosis in harvested deer. (Sec. 603) |
| 10. Dispersed Camping Fee. The Governor and Senate deleted, but the House retained current year language prohibiting the assessment of fees for dispersed camping on State forest land. |
| 11. Oil and Gas Ownership Program. Language included by the House and Senate requires a progress report on the Unified Surface and Subsurface Oil and Gas Ownership Program. (Sec. 1005) |
| 12. Common Language. Language common to most FY 2000-01 budget bills that was deleted by the Governor, but retained by the House and Senate includes sections that give preference to the purchase of State or American goods over foreign products (209), and that require the Department to retain copies of all reports funded with Department appropriations. (Sec. 215), and that require submission of privatization plans prior to implementation. (Sec. 207) The section that requires a report on internal audit activities was retained by the House only. |