FY 2014-15 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BUDGET                                      S.B. 766:  GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 766 (as introduced)                                 Vehicle for Governor’s Recommendation line items is Senate Bill 837

Committee:  Appropriations

FY 2013-14 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation.....................................................................

$517,168,800

 

Changes from FY 2013-14 Year-to-Date:

 

  1.  Recycling Initiative.  The Governor included GF/GP funding and 3.0 FTEs for a new program that would be focused on increasing the availability of residential recycling.  The program would focus on marketing, outreach, and the development of markets for recycled goods.

1,000,000

  2.  Water Quality and Use Initiative.  The Governor included GF/GP funding for this new program.  The Initiative would provide support for the Wetlands program, beach monitoring, water use conflict resolution, statewide strategy development and permitting.

3,977,200

  3.  Hazardous Waste Management Program.  The Governor included GF/GP funding to replace one-time funding and a fee increase proposal from last year that was not successful.  While this would increase program appropriations, it would not be a program increase.

1,900,000

  4.  Compliance Assistance.  The Governor included GF/GP funding to increase compliance assistance activities including the retired engineers technical assistance program.

1,000,000

  5.  Drinking Water Revolving Fund Match.  The Governor included additional GF/GP funds to use as Federal match, which would allow the Department to access $12.5 million in additional Federal funds.

2,500,000

  6.  Refined Petroleum Product Cleanup and Administration.  The Governor removed the remaining Refined Petroleum Fund revenue that has been supporting debt service in Treasury and moved it to DEQ to support RPF cleanups and related Department staff.

3,014,500

  7.  Strategic Water Quality Initiatives Loans.  The Governor removed this line-item.  $97.0 million for SWQIF grants and loans authorization was retained.

(9,600,000)

  8.  Environmental Cleanup and Redevelopment Program.  The Governor reduced this program from $30.0 million to $15.0 million, consistent with the needs of the program. 

(15,000,000)

  9.  Electronic Document Management One-Time Funding.  The Governor included one-time funding for an initiative to convert the large numbers of paper files maintained by the Department into an electronic format and to make commonly-requested files available online.

2,500,000

10.  Hazardous Waste Fee Sunset.  The Governor's FY 2014-15 recommendation for the DEQ budget is predicated on the delay of fee sunsets in the Hazardous Waste Management Program.  These fees generate approximately $1.1 million annually.

0

11.  Economic Adjustments.  Includes a negative $824,400 Gross and a negative $112,600                   GF/GP for OPEB and $1,244,300 Gross and a negative $300 GF/GP for other economic adjustments.

419,900

12.  Other Changes. Other changes include technical restricted fund revenue adjustments, the reduction of overstated restricted fund authorization, a $236,300 EPPF to GF/GP fund shift in the Office of Environmental Assistance, and the removal of FY 2013-14 one-time appropriations.

(4,788,600)

 

Total Changes.....................................................................................................................

($13,077,000)

FY 2014-15 Governor's Recommendation...........................................................................

$504,091,800

 

The changes show the differences between the schedule of programs proposed by the Governor and the prior-year line items.

FY 2014-15 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BUDGET                                                               BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

Changes from FY 2013-14 Year-to-Date:

  1.  Report Retention.  The Governor removed a section requiring the Department to abide by State and Federal guidelines for record retention.  (Sec. 207)

  2.  Disciplinary Action.  The Governor removed a section prohibiting disciplinary action from being taken against employees who communicate with the Legislature.  (Sec. 212)

  3.  Small Business Rules.  The Governor removed a section prohibiting rules that have a disproportionate impact on small businesses.  (Sec. 213)

  4.  FTE Reports.  The Governor removed reports on the number of funded FTEs in the Department.  (Sec. 223 & 224)

  5.  Customer Satisfaction Report.  The Governor removed a report on the customer satisfaction program.  (Sec. 228)

  6.  Expedited Permit Program Report.  The Governor removed a report on this program.  (Sec. 229)

  7.  Restricted Fund Transfer.  The Governor removed a section transferring $72,600 from the Publication Revenue Fund to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Fund.  (Sec. 232)

  8.  No RFPs before RFIs.  The Governor removed a section requiring a request for information or request for qualification before issuing request for proposals on projects exceeding $5.0 million.  (Sec. 233)

  9.  Legacy Costs in Budget.  The Governor included a new section detailing legacy costs that are included as part of the FY 2014-15 DEQ budget.  (Sec. 13-234)

10.  RPF Repayment.  The Governor removed a section establishing intent that $70.0M borrowed from the Refined Petroleum Fund in FY 2006-07 be repaid.  (Sec. 305)

11.  RPF Site List.  The Governor removed a list of sites to be funded with Refined Petroleum Fund revenue in part 1.  (Sec. 306)

12.  Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) Program.  The Governor removed a section requiring $700,000 and 5.0 FTEs to be allocated to this program.  (Sec. 401)

13.  Sodium in Groundwater Discharge.  The Governor removed a prohibition on the establishment or enforcement of limits on the amount of sodium in groundwater discharge.  (Sec. 407)

14.  Lake St. Clair Metropark Beach Monitoring.  The Governor removed a $100,000 earmark for water quality monitoring at this beach.  (Sec. 408)

15.  Drug and Chemical Disposal.  The Governor removed a section encouraging the Department to work with other agencies to maintain and expand programs for the safe disposal of drugs and chemicals.  (Sec. 602)

16.  EPPF Usage.  The Governor removed a section allowing other fund appropriations to be spent as though they were made from the Environmental Pollution Prevention Fund.  (Sec. 603)

17.  EPPF Revenue Shortfall.  The Governor removed a section requiring EPPF appropriations to be used for the Hazardous Waste Management Program as a priority if EPPF revenues are not sufficient to cover all appropriations of the fund.  (Sec. 604)

18.  FY 2015-16 Appropriation Intent.  The Governor removed two sections stating legislative intent for appropriations in FY 2015-16.  (Sec. 1201 & 1202)

 

Date Completed:  2-14-14                                                                                                      Fiscal Analyst:  Josh Sefton

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.