FY 2014-15 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET                             S.B. 774 (S-1, Draft 1):  SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE REC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 774 (S-1, Draft 1 as reported)                                    Throughout this document, Senate means Subcommittee

Committee:  Appropriations

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

$343,138,900

 

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

 

  1.  Invasive Species Initiative.  The Governor included $4.0 million in ongoing and $2.0 million in one-time GF/GP funding for a new initiative to combat invasive species.  16.0 FTEs were also included.  The Senate further increased funding by $170,000

6,170,000

  2.  Non-Motorized Trail Initiative.  The Governor and Senate included GF/GP funding intended to increase non-motorized trail development throughout the State.  The Initiative would be focused on development of a trail running from Belle Isle through the U.P.

2,500,000

  3.  Additional Conservation Officers.  The Governor included GF/GP funding and 25.0 FTEs for the hiring of additional conservation officers.

3,500,000

  4.  Annualization of Hunting and Fishing License Fee Increase.  The Governor included additional Game and Fish dollars to reflect the license fee increases implemented last year.  FY15 will be the first full fiscal year where the increased fees will be in effect.

8,057,500

  5.  State Park Operations.  The Governor included additional Park Improvement Fund revenue for State park operations.

2,000,000

  6.  State Park Repair and Maintenance.  The Governor removed $3.5 million in unavailable restricted funds and included $2.5 million in private funds and $3.75 million GF/GP.

2,750,000

  7.  Michigan Conservation Corps/Summer Youth Initiative.  The Governor included additional GF/GP revenue and changed the name of Summer Youth Initiative to Michigan Conservation Corps.  The Senate removed this program.

(2,500,000)

  8.  River Raisin National Battlefield Foundation Grant.  The Senate included GF/GP funding to support preservation of the battlefield, building a museum, and other items.

2,000,000

  9.  Saginaw River Feasibility Study.  The Senate included GF/GP for a study of deepening the Saginaw River between the City of Saginaw and the Saginaw Bay.

280,000

10.  Flint River Dike Repair. The Senate included GF/GP to repair a dike on the Flint River.

1,000,000

11.  Cormorant Population Mitigation.  The Senate included additional funding for the management of cormorants.  This would bring total funding for the program to $150,000.

50,000

12.  Forest Management/Wildfire Protection Funding Changes.  The Governor transferred $4.0 million in Forest Development Fund from Wildfire Protection to Forest Management and Timber Market Dev.  The shortfall in Wildfire Protection was backfilled with GF/GP.

4,000,000

13.  Great Lakes Research Vessel One-Time.  The Governor included $1.0 million in GF/GP revenue, $500,000 Game and Fish, and $500,000 in expected private funds for the replacement of the Chinook, the DNR's fish research vessel on Lake Huron.

2,000,000

14.  Economic Adjustments.  Includes a negative $1,073,900 Gross and a negative $80,900 GF/GP for OPEB and $6,667,800 Gross and $335,800 GF/GP for other economic adjustments.

5,593,900

15.  Other Changes.  Other changes include technical revenue adjustments, an increase of $350,000 in restricted funds for the purchase of wildfire equipment, capital outlay adjustments, and removal of FY14 one-time expenditures.

2,395,100

16.  Comparison to Governor's Recommendation.  The Senate is $0 Gross over/under and $0 GF/GP over/under the Governor.

 

 

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

$39,796,500

FY 2014-15 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Gross Appropriation.............................

$382,935,400

 

FY 2014-15 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET                                                                     BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

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

  1.  Communication with the Legislature. The Governor removed and Senate retained a prohibition on taking disciplinary action against employees who communicate with the Legislature. (Sec. 212)

  2.  Report Retention. The Governor removed and Senate retained language requiring that report retention guidelines be followed. (Sec. 217)

  3.  Waterways Report.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a report on projects completed during the fiscal year.  (Sec. 223)

  4.  Legacy Costs in Budget.  The Governor and Senate included a new section detailing legacy costs that are included as part of the FY15 DNR budget.  (Sec. 237)

  5.  Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps.  The Senate included a new section requiring the DNR to work with the MCCC steering committee to plan for a MCCC outside of State government. (Sec. 250)

  6.  Invasive Species Initiative.  The Senate included a new section requiring that $3,770,000 for this program be used for grants for the prevention, detection, eradication, and control of invasive species. (Sec. 251)

  7.  Land Transaction Report.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a report on land transactions from the previous year. (Sec. 408)

  8.  Oil and Gas Lease Report.  The Governor and Senate removed a report on certain types of gas leases where acreage held in a producing unit is less than ¼ of the lease acreage.  (Sec. 409)

  9.  Invasive Species Order Report.  The Governor and Senate removed a report on invasive species order actions taken against swine raised under the husbandry of Michigan residents.  (Sec. 503)

10.  Cervid Fee Report.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a report on Cervid inspection fees. (Sec. 504)

11.  Water Control Structure Certification.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a prohibition on impeding the certification of water control structures. (Sec. 602)

12.  Cormorant Report.  The Governor removed a quarterly report on Cormorant control efforts.  The Senate retained the report and expanded it to put additional conditions on the program.  (Sec. 603)

13.  Recreation Opportunities.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a requirement that the Legislature be notified of any intent to reduce recreation opportunities.  (Sec. 702)

14.  Pure Michigan Trails.  The Senate included a new section which would earmark $200,000 for the Pure Michigan Trails program if Senate Bills 873 through 877 are enacted. (Sec. 704)

15.  Burt Lake Trail Connector.  The Senate included a new section earmarking $100,000 for this trail. (Sec. 705)

16.  Timber Marking.  The Governor removed and Senate retained two sections that prescribed minimum amounts of timber to be prepared and marked for harvest, and that a sufficient number of foresters are hired to do so.  (Sec. 802 & 805)

17.  Horseback Interests.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a requirement that the DNR work with horseback interests. (Sec. 804)

18.  Gas and Oil Lease Development.  The Senate included a new section requiring the DNR to develop a plan to motivate gas and oil lessees to undertake warranted new operations. (Sec. 808)

19.  Snowmobile Law Enforcement.  The Governor removed and Senate retained criteria for how these grants are distributed.  (Sec. 901)

20.  Marine Safety Grant Report. The Governor removed and Senate retained a report on these grants and funds used for them.  (Sec. 902)

21.  ORV Trail Improvement Grants.  The Governor removed and Senate retained a requirement that at least $980,000 of these grants be used for new trails.  (Sec. 1002)

22.  Saginaw River.  The Senate included a feasibility study of deepening the Saginaw River.  (Sec. 1201)

 

Date Completed:  4-22-14                                                                                                      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.