What is expected to become the omnibus environment and natural resources bill was unveiled by the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division Tuesday.
Sponsored by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul), HF2209, as amended, would appropriate $1.75 billion in the 2020-21 biennium.
The division is scheduled to take action on the bill Thursday. The companion, SF2314 sponsored by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria), awaits action by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee.
Appropriations in the House bill include:
The $1.75 billion total exceeds Gov. Tim Walz’s budget proposal by $5.5 million, and represents an increase of $79.8 million over base appropriations.
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Despite that, the governor would not get all he seeks. For example, the proposal represents nearly $4 million less for the Pollution Control Agency and $2.2 million more for the Department of Natural Resources.
Some of the funding is dependent on other events.
A $14.7 million proposed appropriation is contingent upon a solid waste tax proposal passing; a repayment of $13.9 million to the Minnesota Landfill Contingency Action Trust will depend in a positive balance in the budget forecast; and $8.9 million in transportation funding for water recreation, forest roads, and ATV/ORV accounts are contingent upon passage of the governor’s gas tax proposal.
Additional funding increases include:
The following are selected bills that have been incorporated in part or in whole into the omnibus environment and natural resources bill: