FY 2002-03 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation. . . . . . . . . .
60;. . . . . . . . . . . . 0;. . . . . . . . . . . .

$404,712,261

Changes from FY 2002-03 Year-to-Date:

 1.    National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Fees. The Governor proposed a new permit fee for the Federal program for the discharge of waste water, including 15.0 additional FTEs and $7,220,900 in fee revenue, of which $5,020,900 offsets a General Fund reduction for the current NPDES program. The House included $5,020,900 if this fee is enacted, otherwise the program receives 85% of its current General Fund support. The Senate Subcommittee appropriates $3,098,000 in new fee revenue and $1,922,900 GF/GP for a total of $5,020,900. The Senate Subcommittee does not include the additional FTEs.

0

 2.    Groundwater Permit Fees. The Governor proposed a new permit fee for discharges into the ground or groundwater, including18.0 additional FTEs and $3,588,200 in fee revenue, of which $1,388,200 offsets a General Fund reduction for current groundwater permitting activities. The House funds this program with 85% of its current GF/GP support. The Senate Subcommittee appropriates new fee revenue for the current fund level. The Senate Subcommittee does not include the additional FTEs.

0

 3.    Storm Water Permit Fees. The Governor proposed fee increases for the discharge of storm water, including funding and 5.0 more FTEs for the program. The House and Senate Subcommittee concur with the funding and FTE increases.

1,162,500

 4.    Solid Waste Program Fees. The Governor proposed a revised fee structure for the assessment of permit fees on landfill operators. The proposed fee revenue of $3,900,000 would replace the current fee revenue and offset General Fund support of $2,598,400 for the program, with no net increase in funding for the program. The House supports this program with 85% of its current GF/GP dollars. The Senate Subcommittee concurs with the Governor on the increased fee revenue to offset General Fund reductions.

0

 5.    Program Elimination. The Governor recommends the elimination of Department reviews of public swimming pools and campgrounds site construction plans, manufactured housing communities, and the Septage waste program. The reductions would result in a savings of $1,076,300 General Fund and 12.0 FTEs. The House partially restores the functions and the Senate Subcommittee restores all of these programs to their current year funding.

0

 6.    Aquifer Dispute Resolution and Groundwater Inventory. The House added $500,000 Gross, $200,000 GF/GP for dispute resolution. The Senate Subcommittee creates an item of difference and includes $1,000,000 Restricted for implementation of a Statewide groundwater inventory and map.

1,500,100

 7.    Water Quality Monitoring Grants. The House retains current year funding to Macomb County and St. Clair Shores. The Senate Subcommittee creates an item of difference.

2,501,000

 8.    Economic Adjustments. The budget includes economic adjustments for building occupancy charges and workers’ compensation.

(695,500)

 9.    Other Changes. The budget includes additional adjustments to General Fund and Restricted funds to reflect actual revenue estimates, items of difference, and the discontinuation of MUSTFA.

(62,407,261)

10.   Comparison to Governor’s Recommendation. The Senate Subcommittee is $2,815,100 Gross, $3,200,700 GF/GP over the Governor’s recommendation.

Total Changes. . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . .& #160;. . . . . . . . . . . .&# 160;. . . . . . . . . . . .
60;. . . . . . . . . . . . 0;. .

($57,939,161)

FY 2003-04 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Gross Appropriation. . . . . . . . . .
60;. . 

$346,773,100

FY 2003-04 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BUDGET - BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

Changes from FY 2002-03 Year to Date:

 1.    The Governor eliminates and the House and Senate Subcommittee restore sections regarding privatization, buy American intent, report on restricted fund balances, grant and loan program report, public meeting on water diversion requests, report on the air quality program, fair collection of bottomland permit fees, waiver of certain permit fees, groundwater use modeling, local health department septage assistance, and drinking water project loans. (Sections 207, 209, 212, 213, 215, 401, 601, 602, 903, 1101, and 1103)

 2.    The Senate Subcommittee restores sections that are eliminated by the Governor and House regarding retention of reports, report on court settlement revenue, MI Youth Conservation Council, a listing of cleanup sites funded in the bill, NPL municipal landfill match grants, signs at public beaches, inspection of imported solid waste, and training of local enforcement personnel. (Sections 211, 214, 218, 702, 703, 901, 1001, and 1002)

 3.    The Governor, House, and Senate Subcommittee all remove sections regarding deprived and depressed communities, report on the balance of the Environmental Response Fund, prohibited rent expenditures, designation for water quality monitoring grants, analysis of a Greening of Governments report, Hazardous Substance Research Center, MUSTFA work projects, report on MUSTFA funds, leaking underground storage tank cleanup sites, scrap tire demonstration projects, automobile component removal study, distribution of budgetary and early retirement savings, and cigarette tax appropriations.

 4.    Hiring Freeze. The Governor includes a section establishing a hiring freeze for the Department. The House removes this section. The Senate Subcommittee restores it. (Sec. 205)

 5.    Contingency Funds. The House and Senate Subcommittee remove language authorizing contingency funds.

 6.    Information Technology User Fees. The Governor includes a section requiring the Department to pay user fees to the Department of Information Technology. The House removes it and the Senate Subcommittee concurs with the Governor. (Sec. 219)

 7.    FY 2002-03 Unexpended General Fund. The Governor adds a section appropriating one half of unreserved General Fund balances remaining from FY 2002-03 for the next fiscal year. The House and Senate remove this section.

 8.    Permit Review and Compliance Project. The House adds a new section establishing criteria for a review of the Department’s permitting programs. The Senate Subcommittee does not include this section.

 9.    Recycling Coordinator. The Senate Subcommittee adds a section designating 1.0 FTE and $60,000 in Part 1 for technical assistance to organizations involved in recycling and composting. (Sec. 501)

10.   Audit of Aquatic Nuisance Program. The House adds a new section directing the Legislative Auditor General to conduct an audit of this program. The Senate Subcommittee does not include this section.

11.   Work Projects in Environmental Response. The Governor and House include this section. The Senate Subcommittee amends it to include leaking underground storage tank cleanup sites. (Sec. 701)

12.   Aquifer Conflict Resolution IDG to Agriculture. The House adds a section designating $100,000 of the appropriation for aquifer conflict resolution to the Department of Agriculture. The Senate Subcommittee concurs. (Sec. 902)

13.   Statewide Groundwater Inventory and Map. The Senate Subcommittee adds a section designating $1,000,000 from the CMI-Clean Water Fund for preparation of a groundwater inventory and map. (Sec. 904)

14.   NPDES Non-Stormwater Permits. The Senate Subcommittee adds a section establishing time limits for determinations on NPDES non-stormwater permits and requires a refund of 1% of the discharge fee for each day beyond the time limits without a determination. (Sec. 905)

15.   Permit Renewals. The Senate Subcommittee adds a section establishing time limits on permit renewals that are unchanged from existing permits and requires a refund of 1% of the discharge fee for each day beyond the time limit with no determination. (Sec. 906)

16.   Safe Drinking Water Technical Assistance. The Senate Subcommittee adds a section requiring the Department to provide the full funding allowed under Federal law for technical assistance to nonprofit organizations. (Sec. 907)

17.   Water Quality Monitoring Projects. The House amends a current year section to designate $1,800,000 for a project of the Macomb County Health Department and $700,000 for St. Clair Shores for canal dredging. The Senate Subcommittee creates an item of difference in the grant funding. (Sec. 1104)