FY 2009-10 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION BUDGET H.B. 4446 (S-1): SENATE-PASSED


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House Bill 4446 (S-1 as passed by the Senate)
Committee: Appropriations

Changes from FY 2008-09 Year-to-Date:
1. Department of Conservation. The Senate Substitute consolidates funding previously appropriated to the DNR and DEQ.
2. Historical Program/Mackinac Island State Park Commission. The Senate included this funding in a separate HAL budget bill and removed it from this budget.	0
3. DNR Increases. Funding based on available revenue for projects, grants, and programs.	9,173,200
4. DNR Reductions. Reductions included by the Governor and the Senate related to one-time funding and actual restricted revenue projections.	(16,441,500)
5. Annualize DNR Executive Order 2009-22 Reductions and Other Changes. Maintain closure of 12 forest campgrounds, continue to hold vacancies, and other reductions.	(837,200)
6. Other DNR Changes. FY 2008-09 supplementals, contingency fund transfers, and other.	(846,000)
7. DNR Economics.	4,150,100
8. DEQ General Fund Reductions. The Senate reduced all DEQ General Fund appropriations by 18.0%, prior to calculations for consolidation savings.	(6,000,000)
9. Air Emission Fee Revenue. Senate added funding to help meet Federal presumptive minimum emission fee requirements.	938,300
10. Elimination of Wetlands Program. Governor and Senate recommended program elimination ($2.1 million GF/GP with 30.0 FTEs) and shift responsibility to Army Corp of Engineers. Senate kept $200 placeholder appropriation for current program.	(4,000,000)
11. General Fund Reductions. The Governor and Senate included reductions to Air Quality programs, Information Technology, conferences and workshops, waste water operator certification and training, ambient water monitoring, on-site waste water, radiological protection, state match for State Revolving Fund and other lines.	(5,094,100)
12. Federal, Restricted Revenue Losses. The bill reflects losses in expected revenue from Federal Superfund, aquifier protection and scrap tire appropriations.	(2,875,800)
13. Air Quality. The Governor and Senate added $250,000 Federal for Asbestos Program.	250,000
14. Annualize DEQ Executive Order 2009-22 Reductions and Other Changes. The Governor and Senate eliminated an IDG to DCH ($10,472,500) technical) transferred RETAP ($1,474,300) to DELEG and made other adjustments and fund shifts.	(12,614,700)
15. Other DEQ Adjustments. FY2008-09 supplementals, contingency fund transfers.	(242,365,800)
16. DEQ Economic Adjustments.	2,833,600
17. Consolidation Savings - Unclassified Positions and Rent.	(800,000)
Total Changes	($274,529,900)
FY 2009-10 Senate-Passed Gross Appropriation	$623,918,000

FY 2009-10 NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY SECTIONS BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

Changes from FY 2008-09 Year to Date:

1. Implementation of 2008 PA 389. Requires the Department to implement 2008 PA 389 (Beverage Container Redemption Antifraud Fund). (Sec. 241)

2. Report on Construction in State Parks. (1) Requires the Department to report by April 1 on construction projects in State parks that would involve campsite or campground closures. The report must include an assessment of the impact of the projects on costs, revenues, recreation, park users, and monthly campground occupancy rates. (2) Requires notification to the Legislature of planned reductions in park operations or recreation opportunities. The Governor eliminated the entire Section. The Senate eliminated (1), but maintained (2). (Sec. 602)

3. Historical Program. The bill includes language for the operation of the State History Program including Sec. 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, and 706. The Senate removed all Historical Program language.

4. Timber Marking for Harvest. Requires the DNR to prescribe appropriate treatment on not less than 63,000 acres at an average rate of 12.5 to 13 cords per acre and put those cords up for sale. Requires the Department to increase marking or treatment of hardwood timber by 10% over previous year level, subject to the forest certification process. The Governor eliminated this section. The Senate concurred with the Governor.

5. Sections eliminated by the Governor and restored by the Senate. The Governor eliminated reporting sections for a hiring freeze (Sec. 205), Restricted Fund Balance Report (Sec. 207), Waterways projects (Sec. 210), DMB Director authority to grant exceptions to travel restrictions (Sec. 213 (2), disciplinary actions/communications with Legislature (Sec. 216), Policy change reporting, (Sec. 217), limits on attendance at training seminars (Sec. 221), display of fish advisory information (Sec. 304), annual land transaction report (sec 305), wolf, coyote, and cougar indemnification payments (Sec. 401), prohibition on Department impeding water control structure (Sec. 501), continued operation of six fish hatcheries (Sec. 503), prohibits demolition of facilities at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (Sec. 603), defibrillators in State Parks (Sec. 604), staff for timber marking (Sec. 802), development of a snowmobile trail connecting the Village of Bellaire with the Jordan River Trail (Sec. 804), horseback riding trails (Sec. 806), criteria for snowmobile law enforcement grants (Sec. 901), Island Lake Shooting Range - notification regarding concessionaire contract changes (Sec. 902), and earmarking funds for off-road vehicle trail development (Sec. 1002). The Senate restored all of the sections.

6. Sections Eliminated by the Governor and Senate. Language allowing information technology appropriations to be designated as work projects, legislative intent regarding Muskrat Lake level control, recommendations of workgroup on long-term funding, legislative intent on Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund shortfall, and Payments in Lieu of Taxes were eliminated by the Governor and Senate.

7. DEQ Sections Removed. The Governor and Senate removed current-year language regarding the MI Youth Conservation Council, core samples research, cleanup site criteria, Hazardous Waste Site Review Board, contaminated lake and river sediment appropriations, and a grant to the Village of Chesaning.

8. General Fund Lapse. The Senate added new language which requires a report of GF/GP lapse estimates by 9-30-10. (Sec. 235)

9. Sound Science. The Senate added new language requiring the use of sound science and actual data in regulating best available retrofit technology. (Sec. 236)

10. Comparison to Other States. Requires the Department to perform a review of its programs to determine how its programs compare to similar programs in other Great Lakes States. Requires report. (Sec. 243)

11. Efficiency Evaluation. Requires the Department to engage in a process to determine efficiencies which can be made in the air permitting program. Requires report. (Sec. 244)

Date Completed: 6-24-09 Fiscal Analyst: Bruce Baker Bill Bowerman Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations. hidnr_sp.doc