Senate, House Send Budget Bills To Wolf, Includes Funding For 35 New DEP Positions, Few Other Changes

The House Wednesday and the Senate Friday passed and sent to the Governor a $32.7 billion FY 2018-19 General Fund budget bill-- House Bill 2121-- that includes funding for 35 new positions at DEP, but few changes in other environmental funding line items.
The Fiscal Code bill that follows the General Fund budget bill-- this year House Bill 1929-- includes provisions creating a new Private Dam Financial Assurance and Loan Program, direction to DCNR on developing ATV trails and more funding for small water and sewer project.  Click Here for more.

  Wasting no time, Gov. Wolf announced late Friday he signed into law the Fiscal Code Bill-- House Bill 1929 (Senate Fiscal Note and summary); School Code-- House Bill 1448 (House Fiscal Note and summary); Human Services Code-- House Bill 1677 (Senate Fiscal Note and summary); School Safety Program bill-- Senate Bill 1142 (House Fiscal Note and summary); the Medical Marijuana Research bill-- House Bill 2477 (House Fiscal Note and summary); and all the nonpreferred appropriations bills.
Gov. Wolf left his first three General Fund budget bills become law without his signature.
Click Here for what Gov. Wolf highlighted in the budget.  

The additional positions requested by the Governor in the General Fund bill will go to several programs-- high-hazard dams, ensuring adequate air monitoring, oil and gas drilling and reviewing sewage expansion requests.

The proposed $153.2 million in General Fund support for DEP remains just above the 1994-95 appropriation of $147.7 million.

While appropriations for the Delaware and Susquehanna River Basin Commissions remain the same as the current fiscal year, they are still $1.18 million short of Pennsylvania’s “fair share” contribution.

General Fund support for DCNR increased, but its budget remained flat overall.  More General Fund support means $12.4 million less will need to be withdrawn from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund-- $48.7 million-- to support administrative costs.

In FY 2017-18, $61.2 million was withdrawn from the fund to support DCNR personnel and other costs.

The budget for the Department of Agriculture includes the $3 million requested by the Governor to deal with the Spotted Lanternfly.

Here are some of the details.

DEP

-- General Fund: $153.2 million up from $146.4 million*

-- Conservation Districts: $2.5 million, same as last year

-- West Nile Virus: $5.378 million up slightly from $5.239 million

-- Black Fly: $3.357 million, same as last year

-- Delaware River Basin Commission: $217,000-- $676,000 short fall from fair share

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission: $237,000-- $504,000 short fall from fair share

*Note: additional funding is for the Governor’s proposal to hire 35 additional staff for high-hazard dams, ensuring adequate air monitoring, oil and gas drilling and reviewing sewage expansion requests.

DCNR

-- General Fund: $121.2 million up from $105.2 million*

-- Heritage Parks: $3.025 million up from $2.875 million

-- $2.5 million unspecified State Parks infrastructure projects

*Note: $12.4 million less withdrawn from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to support administrative costs.

Agriculture

-- General Fund: $151.2 million from $143.8 million 5.2 percent increase

-- $3 million Spotted Lanternfly

-- $869,000 Conservation Districts, same as last year.

Click Here for an overview of the budget from House Democrats.  Click Here for a spreadsheet show line items and how they were adjusted.
NewsClips:

AP-Levy: PA Budget Plan Includes More For Schools, Safety

Legislature Ready To Fast-Track State Budget With More Education Funding

Meyer: Pennsylvania Close To A Budget Deal

Thompson: It’s Budgeting The Election Year Way, But Economy Helped