FY 2000-01 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET - H.B. 5281 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 5281 (S-1 as reported)
Committee: Appropriations
| FY 1999-2000 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation | $241,911,300 |
| Changes from FY 1999-2000 Year-to-Date: | |
| 1. Forest Development Fund. The Governor's, House, and Senate budgets offset a projected shortfall in the Forest Development Fund with $2,535,000 GF/GP. | 0 |
| 2. Urban Tree Planting Initiative. The Governor, House and Senate provided new General Fund appropriations for tree planting initiatives in urban and suburban areas. | 540,000 |
| 3. Tax Reverted Property Cleanup. The Governor eliminated funding, the House and Senate retained $150,000 GF/GP to continue the cleanup of tax reverted properties grant program. | (100,000) |
| 4. Lake Level Assessments. The Governor, House, and Senate included a General Fund increase to cover the costs of local lake level assessments. | 200,000 |
| 5. Swimmer's Itch Study. The Governor and House eliminated, and the Senate restored $85,000 GF/GP for the third year of a five-year swimmer's itch study. | 0 |
| 6. Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps. The Governor, House, and Senate included Michigan Civilian Conservation Corp Endowment Fund dollars for State park maintenance. | 1,000,000 |
| 7. Great Lakes Ecological Information Centers. The Governor, House, and Senate included Game and Fish Protection Fund dollars for operation of the six Centers. | 1,000,000 |
| 8. Tribal Fishing Rights Negotiations. The Governor, House, and Senate included Game and Fish Protection Fund dollars for costs of negotiating tribal fishing rights. | 1,000,000 |
| 9. Fee Increase. The Governor, House, and Senate include revenue from increased State forest user fees. | 425,000 |
| 10. Wildlife Biologists. The House and Senate increased Game and Fish Protection Fund appropriations to establish a wildlife biologist position at each wildlife management unit. | 600,000 |
| 11. Trails Specialist. The House and Senate included Off-Road Vehicle Trail Improvement Fund and Recreation Improvement Fund for a Southeast Michigan trails specialist position. | 70,000 |
| 12. Adopt-A-Forest. The House provided forest resource revenue and scrap tire regulatory fund revenue, for an Adopt-a-Forest Program; the Senate provided forest resource revenue only. | 50,000 |
| 13. Economic Adjustments. Economic adjustments, including $55,900 for unclassified salaries, were included. | 6,430,900 |
| 14. Other Changes. Other changes include adjustments to reflect the availability of various Federal and State restricted sources of financing, and mandated inflationary adjustments. | 2,315,600 |
| 15. Comparison to Governor's Recommendation. The Senate budget exceeds the Governor's recommendation by $1,204,400 Gross, 234,700 GF/GP. | |
| Total Changes | $13,531,500 |
| FY 2000-01 Senate Appropriations Committee Gross Appropriation | $255,442,800 |
| FY 2000-01 NATURAL RESOURCES BUDGET - BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS |
| Changes from FY 1999-2000 Year to Date: |
| 1. Nongame Wildlife Fund. The Senate modified, to clarify intent, new House language that creates a General Fund contingency fund from which appropriations transfers could be made in the event revenue in the Nongame Wildlife Fund fell below the level contained in the appropriations in Part 1. (Sec. 220) |
| 2. Administrative Cost Allocation. The Senate included new House proposed language requiring the Department to develop a system for allocating personnel and administrative costs across the various restricted funds that support Department appropriations. (Sec. 221) |
| 3. Non-Native, Aquatic Nuisance Species. The Senate included language requiring the Department, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Quality, to provide a report on the impact of non-native, aquatic nuisance species and other non-native species on the waters and fisheries of the State (Sec. 704) |
| 4. Lake and River Water Levels. The Senate included language requiring the Department to provide a report on the measures it has taken or plans to take to address low water levels in the State's lakes and rivers, and the impact of low water levels on the tourist, boating, fishing, and marina industries. (Sec. 804) |
| 5. Timber Harvest. The House and Senate revised current language setting minimum timber marking requirements at 855,000 cords to require the Department to mark and offer for sale not less than 855,000 cords or 69,000 acres, at an average rate of 12.5 to 13 cords per acre. The Governor's proposed language set the minimums at 855,000 cords or 60,000 acres, with no specification of the number of cords per acre. (Sec. 902) |
| 6. Adopt-A-Forest. The Senate concurred with the House and included language allocating the adopt-a-forest appropriation to cover the disposal costs of waste collected on State forest lands. (Sec. 905) |
| 7. Forest User Fees. The House and Senate included language prohibiting the assessment of fees for disbursed camping on State forest land. (Sec. 906) |
| 8. Trails Specialist. The Senate concurred with House language allocating $70,000 from the trails appropriation to the Michigan Rails-to-Trails Conservancy for the establishment of a greenway specialist position, whose function would be to coordinate trails development in Southeast Michigan, to work with local agencies to implement a greenways project, and to provide education and outreach in developing a 7 county trail network. (Sec. 907) |
| 9. Marine Safety Grants. The Governor, House , and Senate deleted current year language allocating $400,000 for expanding patrol hours, and requiring a report on the impact of the expanded patrols. The funding was maintained. |
| 10. Off-Road Vehicle Trail Improvement. The House and Senate modified current language limiting grants for law enforcement assistance from the ORV trail improvements appropriation to between $25,000 and $135,000. The House and Senate set the limit at no greater than $25,000. The Governor deleted the language. (Sec. 1202) |
| 11. Federal Timber Payments Pass Through. The Senate modified language proposed by the Governor that would allow the Department to carry forward Federal funds that are passed through to local governments or institutions, and that would automatically appropriate Federal oil, gas, and timber payments revenue that is available in excess of the amounts appropriated, provided no State matching funds are required. The Senate language would require notification of all appropriations made under this section and did not include the carry forward provision. (Sec. 1203) |