Rendell Proposes Over $100 Million in Environmental Funding Shifts, Reductions
Photo

Gov. Rendell proposed a 2006-07 budget that includes shifts and reductions in over $100 million in environmental funding for the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation Fund, abandoned mine reclamation, oil and gas well plugging, watershed restoration, recycling grants, environmental education and support for county conservation districts.

The proposed reductions this year are on top of cuts proposed by Gov. Rendell over the last three years that Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty said “run deep” at budget hearings in 2005.

The largest change was a diversion of over $63 million from the Realty Transfer Tax away from the Keystone Recreation, Parks and Conservation Fund allocated to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to the General Fund to help balance the budget in 2006-07.

This change is proposed as a one time diversion that parallels a proposed change in the way grants are awarded from the Keystone Fund. Grants would be awarded based on anticipated revenues to the Fund, rather than cash on hand as was done in the past.

The budget request also takes the maximum amount authorized-- $30 million-- from the Environmental Stewardship Fund to finance the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.

This transfer means a corresponding decrease in funding for farmland preservation ($1 million), abandoned mine reclamation ($3.4 million), oil and gas well plugging ($1 million), watershed restoration ($1.3 million) and sewer and water system projects ($1.6 million) from the Fund.

Funding for county conservation districts would be reduced by $900,000, nutrient management program support for farmers was reduced by $986,000, the Chesapeake Bay Education Program was reduced to $0 from $300,000.

Grants to start up municipal recycling programs were cut $8.5 million (in anticipation of the sunset of the Recycling Fee) and Small Business Pollution Prevention Grants were cut $767,000.

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority expects to award only about $303 million in funding for drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and other projects this coming year. This year it funded $353 million in projects. This decrease is in part due to cuts in federal funding and in funding from the state Environmental Stewardship Fund.

As is usually the case, the Governor’s budget eliminated certain “legislative budget initiatives” in environmental agency budgets, including funding for scrap tire cleanup, safe water projects, however, the line item for black fly spraying that proved so controversial last year was not touched.

Gov. Rendell did include a new $508,000 Deep Mine Safety initiative in DEP’s budget to support more frequent safety inspections in underground coal and mineral mines.

Just last year voters approved an environmental bond issue to provide $625 million over six years in additional funding for farmland preservation, abandoned mine reclamation, watershed restoration, State Park improvement and sewer and water projects.

Here’s a quick summary of the proposed environmental budget changes—

2005-06

[dollars in

2006-07

thousands]

Change

(decreases) or increases

DEP

All Funds

657,318

667,617

+ 10,299

General Fund

192,168

177,768

- (14,400)

Federal Funds

145,492

146,576

+ 1,084

Note: in fiscal 2002-03 DEP’s total budget was $728.2 million

DCNR

All Funds

387,697

311,397

- (76,300)*

General Fund

97,979

96,635

- (1,344)

Federal Funds

47,715

26,825

- (20,890)

*due primarily to changes in the Keystone Recreation, Park, Conservation Fund

Note: in fiscal 2002-03 DCNR’s total budget was $322.9 million

Fish & Boat Commission

All Funds

34,995

35,500

+ 505

State Funds

25,245

27,514

+ 2,269

Federal Funds

9,486

7,678

- (1,808)

General Fund

14

16

+ 2

Note: in fiscal 2002-03 the Commission’s budget was $43.3 million

Game Commission

All Funds

79,542

79,832

+ 290

General Fund

52,828

53,432

+ 604

Federal Funds

483

739

+ 256

Note: in fiscal 2002-03 the Commission’s budget was $68.4 million

Agriculture

Conservation Districts

1,660

1,210

- (450)

Nutrient Management Fund

3,206

2,220

- (986)

2005-06

[dollars in

2006-07

thousands]

Change

(decreases) or increases

Environmental Stewardship Fund

Oil & Gas

1,000

0

- (1,000)

Abandoned Mine Reclaim

3,400

0

- (3,400)

Watershed Restoration

23,148

21,751

- (1,397)

Sewage/Water Grants

3,999

2,310

- (1,689)

Farmland Preservation

10,749

9,521

- (1,228)

Transfer to Hazardous

Sites Cleanup Fund*

20,000

30,000

+ 10,000

*(transfer authorization to HSCA ends after 06-07)

DEP

Conservation Districts

3,550

3,100

- (450)

Chesapeake Bay Ed.

300

0

- (300)

Recycling Grants

36,000

27,500

- (8,500)

Small Business Pollution

Prevention Grants

1,267

500

- (767)

Deep Mine Safety Initiative

508

+ 508

DCNR

Forest Insect/Disease Control

2,000

3,000

+ 1,000

Grants to Land Trusts

8,493

9,999

+ 1,506

Natural Diversity Conservation Grants

735

750

+ 15

Keystone Fund*

General Government

Grants & Subsidies

47,762

81,189

29,997

34,996

- (17,765)

- (46,193)

*Note from Governor’s budget book: A one-year reduction of the 15 percent transfer to the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund is proposed effective July 1, 2006, accompanied by obligation of revenues in the Keystone Fund in the year collected rather than the subsequent year. The transfer rate is proposed to be 2.1 percent for fiscal year 2006-07. Effective July 1, 2007 the annual 15 percent transfer to the Keystone Fund would resume.

Links: Budget Includes Funding to Speed Water Quality Permits

Governor’s Budget in Brief- PDF

Text of Budget Address

Table of Contents of “Big Budget Book”

Governor’s 2006-07 Budget Request Webpage

Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Budget Summary

Session Schedule

The House and Senate return to session February 13 and will then break until March for budget hearings.

On the Hill

· On the Senate, House Agenda

· Senate/House Bills Moving

· Game Commission May Not Make It Past July 1 Without License Increase

· Joint Committee Releases Report on Oil and Gas Leasing Operations

· House Committee Holds Hearing on California Car Standards

· Environmental Issues Forum Set for February 13

· Bills Introduced

Other News

· Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Launches 2006 Great PA Cleanup!

· Applications Now Being Accepted for Compost Infrastructure Development Grants

· Rendell Orders Re-Inspection of PA Underground Mines

· Holmes Safety Association Offering Students Mine Safety Scholarships

· Ignore the Groundhog, Think Spring! Attend a Tree Tender Workshop

· Game Commission Offers Seedlings to Property Owners for Habitat Improvement

· Westmoreland County Smart Growth Partnership Accepting Award Nominations

· DCNR Adds New Watersheds to State Rivers Conservation Registry

· Pennsylvania American Water Accepting Entries for Watershed Art Contest

· Senior Volunteers Seek New Members to Help Track Health of French Creek

· Trout Unlimited Abandoned Mine Cleanups Featured in WPSU Documentary

· POWR Takes Watersheds Data System On the Road

· PA Environmental Council Sponsors Stormwater Retrofit Workshops in Southeast

· Codorus Creek Water Research Forum Set for March 2

· POWR Arranges For Legal Serves for Watershed Group Members

· DEP Increases Incentives for Remining Abandoned Mine Lands

· EPA Releases Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action

· EPA Recognizes Landfill Methane Partners For Greenhouse Gas Reductions

· PA Center for Environmental Ed Newsletter Online, New Contact

· Pennsylvania State Park Visitors Can Now Make Reservations Online

· Join the Great Backyard Bird Count February 17-20, Everybirdy Counts!

· Making Environmental Connections, Society of Women Environmental Professionals

· Farmers Invited to Cove Area Regional Digester Meetings

· Help Wanted: PA Environmental Council Seeks President-CEO

· Help Wanted: PA Resources Council Seeks Litter Education, Writer

Feature

· Teaming Up for the Environment – Part II - Townships Collaborate with Conservation Districts, By Jennifer L. Hawbaker, PA Township News

Go To: PA Environment Digest Calendar Page


2/10/2006

Go To Preceding Article     Go To Next Article

Return to This PA Environment Digest's Main Page