Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Revised House Republican Budget Proposal Gets Worse: Now Nearly $600 Million Diverted To The General Fund

A series of revised amendments to be offered by Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) to the budget vehicle-- House Bill 593 (Thomas-D-Philadelphia)-- today would not only transfer over $453 million out of environmental funds to the General Fund, it would also divert over $134 million annually away from going into the environmental funds in the first place.
It also makes clear that any existing monies not committed or unencumbered in environmental funds would also be transferred to the General Fund.
The Coal Refuse and Resource Enhancement and Protection (farm conservation) tax credit programs would also be cut by $11.2 million.
Here’s the rundown--
Fees, Income Diverted Directly To General Fund
-- Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund revenue from Realty Transfer Tax-- $92.2 million;
-- Act 101 Recycling Fees $2/ton, $4.25/ton), except for mounts necessary for debt service-- $38 million;
-- Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund fees and moneys deposited in the Fund-- $4.6 million; and
-- State Conservation Commission fees, fines judgments under Nutrient & Odor Management Program.
Uncommitted, Unencumbered Monies Transferred To General Fund
-- Unconventional Gas Well Fund
-- Act 101 Recycling Fund
-- Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund
-- Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund
-- Nutrient Management Fund
-- Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
-- Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund
Specific Amounts Transferred to General Fund
-- Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund - $50 million
-- Recycling Fund - $75 million
-- Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund - $72.7 million
-- Industrial Sites Cleanup Fund - $10 million
-- Industrial Sites Environmental Assessment Fund - $7.5 million
-- Energy Development Fund - $3.94 million
-- County Conservation District Fund - $3.33 million
-- Environmental Education Fund - $1.285 million
-- Coal Lands Improvement Fund - $2.769 million
-- Highway Beautification Fund - $500,000
-- Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund - $27 million
-- Solid Waste-Resource Recovery Development Fund - $448,000
-- Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund - $100 million
-- Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund - $100 million
Other Monies Diverted
-- Volkswagen settlement by Attorney General - $30.4 million
Tax Credits Cut
-- Coal Refuse - $3.75 million from $10 million
-- Resource Enhancement and Protection (farm conservation)-- $5 million from $10 million
Rep. Moul’s amendments include: amendment A03286, amendment A03320 and amendment A03321.
Rep. Seth Grove’s amendments include amendment A03263.
Related Stories:
-- Op-Ed: The Local Economic Impact Of Failing To Fund Clean Water Programs

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