FY 2017-18 MNRTF APPROPRIATION                                                                S.B. 883:

                                                                                  SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 883 (as introduced 2-28-18)

Sponsor:  Senator Darwin L. Booher

Committee:  Appropriations

 

Date Completed:  3-12-18

 


CONTENT

 

Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. On December 6, 2017, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Board adopted FY 2017-18 recommendations for acquisition and development projects pursuant to Article IX, Section 35 of the Michigan Constitution and the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The recommendations include a $40.4 million appropriation from the MNRTF for 34 acquisition projects ($21.4 million) and 89 development projects ($19.0 million). Projects are typically scored by Department of Natural Resources staff prior to consideration by the MNRTF Board.  One project included in the recommendation (and in Senate Bill 883) was not formally scored prior to its inclusion. That project is the Ottawa Sands Acquisition, which is acquisition priority number 34 in the attached project description table. 

 

The MNRTF was capitalized through deposits of bonuses, rentals, delayed rentals, and royalties collected or reserved by the State under provisions of leases for the extraction of nonrenewable resources from State-owned land, except such revenue accruing under leases of State-owned land acquired with money from the State or Federal Game and Fish Protection Fund. Pursuant to the Michigan Constitution, annual expenditures consisted of MNRTF interest and earnings, and 33% of MNRTF revenue received by the State during the previous fiscal year, until the corpus of the MNRTF reached $500.0 million. The MNRTF reached $500.0 million in 2011, thereby limiting subsequent annual expenditures to interest and investment earnings, and funding carried forward from previous years.

 

The Michigan Constitution provides that not less than 25% of the total amounts made available for expenditure from the Trust Fund from any State fiscal year must be spent for acquisition of land and rights in land and not more than 25% of the total amounts made available for expenditure from the Trust Fund from any State fiscal year must be spent for development of public recreation facilities.

 

Boilerplate

 

Sec. 301. Provides criteria for agreements with local units of government for administration of MNRTF grants.

 

Sec. 302. Provides for work project status of grants. Requires funds to be carried forward consistent with Section 248 of the Management and Budget Act.

 

Sec. 303. Identifies withdrawn projects so that those funds may lapse.

 

 


FISCAL IMPACT

 

The bill would appropriate $40,352,900 from the MNRTF for 34 acquisition projects and 89 development projects. Matching funds of $44,446,600 for local projects result in total project costs of $84,799,500.

 

FY 2017-18 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF)

Projects

Number of Projects

Trust Fund

Match

Total Cost

Acquisition Projects

 

 

 

 

State owned

13

$9,014,900

$1,136,200

$10,151,100

Local Government

21

12,338,000

6,180,800

18,518,800

Subtotal Acquisition Projects

34

$21,352,900

$7,317,000

$28,669,900

 

 

 

 

 

Development Projects

 

 

 

 

State owned

17

$3,817,000

$7,131,800

$10,948,800

Local Government

72

15,183,000

29,997,800

45,180,800

Subtotal Development Projects

89

$19,000,000

$37,129,600

$56,129,600

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

123

$40,352,900

$44,446,600

$84,799,500

 

 

 

                                                                                        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.