Compendium of Budget Information for the 2010 General Session

Natural Resources
Appropriations Subcommittee

Function

The Resource Conservation line item encompasses three programs: Resource Conservation Administration, Conservation Commission, and Conservation Districts (CD). Most of the funds in the line item go to the 38 individual CDs or their state association, the Utah Association of Conservation Districts (UACD).

There is more demand on the state's private lands and water resources than ever. The purpose of the programs in this line item is to curb the loss of soil and water to natural erosion, man-caused pollution, and poor land use planning. There are many programs that have been developed to solve these problems. Most are voluntary and incentive-based, and most are delivered through the CDs.

Statutory Authority

The following laws govern operations in this line item:

UCA 4-18-4 creates the fourteen-member Conservation Commission as an agency of the state functioning within the Department of Agriculture and Food. UCA 4-18-5 spells out the duties of the commission. Some of these duties include:

Make strategies and programs to protect, conserve, utilize, and develop soil and water resources
Disseminate information regarding the districts' activities
Approve and make loans from the Agriculture Resource Development Fund for rangeland improvement, watershed development and flood prevention, cropland soil and water conservation, and energy efficient farming projects
Coordinate soil and water protection actions of state and other entities
Employ an administrator and necessary technical experts as employees

UCA 4-18-6.5 allows the commission to make grants to improve manure management or control runoff at animal feeding operations.
UCA 4-18-14 allows any conservation district to implement a Utah Conservation Corps program.
UCA 17A-3-Part 8 governs conservation districts. Section 805 lists the districts' functions, powers, and duties.

Intent Language

Under the terms of UCA 63J-1-402(3), the Legislature intends not to lapse Item 207, Chapter 2, Laws of Utah 2008. Expenditures of these funds is limited to: Capital Equipment or Improvements $25,000; Computer Equipment/Software $20,000; Employee Training/Incentives $15,000; Equipment/Supplies $15,000; Vehicles $20,000; Special Projects/Studies $10,000.

Funding Detail

Sources of Finance	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
General Fund	$953,800	$982,400	$1,238,800	$1,228,100	$1,130,200
General Fund, One-time	$94,800	$104,600	$0	$0	$98,000
Federal Funds	$22,100	$7,900	$0	$0	$0
Dedicated Credits Revenue	$400	$300	$500	$300	$0
Restricted Revenue	$5,700	$0	$0	$0	$0
Agri Resource Development	$327,600	$333,300	$333,300	$386,100	$386,100
Beginning Nonlapsing	$4,700	$2,900	$5,000	$0	$0
Closing Nonlapsing	($2,900)	($5,100)	$0	($48,000)	$3,700
Lapsing Balance	$0	($3,000)	$0	($2,300)	$0
Total	$1,406,200	$1,423,300	$1,577,600	$1,564,200	$1,618,000

Programs:	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Resource Conservation Administration	$131,900	$167,800	$173,600	$129,900	$179,500
Conservation Commission	$108,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800
Resource Conservation	$1,165,500	$1,246,700	$1,395,200	$1,425,500	$1,429,700
Total	$1,406,200	$1,423,300	$1,577,600	$1,564,200	$1,618,000

Categories of Expenditure	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Personnel Services	$168,900	$182,400	$232,700	$208,200	$218,900
In-state Travel	$56,500	$62,200	$78,800	$51,000	$77,500
Out-of-state Travel	$2,500	$2,200	$2,700	$300	$2,700
Current Expense	$20,900	$23,700	$28,400	$19,000	$28,300
DP Current Expense	$500	$4,900	$3,400	$800	$3,400
Other Charges/Pass Thru	$1,156,900	$1,147,900	$1,231,600	$1,284,900	$1,287,200
Total	$1,406,200	$1,423,300	$1,577,600	$1,564,200	$1,618,000

Other Indicators	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Budgeted FTE	2.0	1.9	1.8	1.6	2.0

Subcommittee Table of Contents

Program: Resource Conservation Administration

Function

This program complies with the Department's mandate (UCA 4-2-2(1)(o)) to "assist the Conservation Commission in the administration of [the Conservation Commission Act] and administer and disburse any funds which are available for the purpose of assisting conservation districts." In other words, this program provides administrative support to the Conservation Commission.

Even-numbered years elections are held in each of the 38 conservation districts. Funds are provided each year, but are held during non-election years in a nonlapsing account.

Funding Detail

Funding from the Agriculture Resource Development Fund is used to cover costs of technical support to the Agricultural Resource Development Loan (ARDL) program.

Sources of Finance	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
General Fund	$128,600	$157,200	$164,200	$170,000	$170,100
General Fund, One-time	($5,200)	$4,600	$0	$0	$0
Restricted Revenue	$5,700	$0	$0	$0	$0
Agri Resource Development	$0	$5,700	$5,700	$5,700	$5,700
Beginning Nonlapsing	$4,700	$2,900	$5,000	$0	$0
Closing Nonlapsing	($1,900)	($2,600)	($1,300)	($44,500)	$3,700
Lapsing Balance	$0	$0	$0	($1,300)	$0
Total	$131,900	$167,800	$173,600	$129,900	$179,500

Categories of Expenditure	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Personnel Services	$112,600	$126,800	$145,200	$120,100	$151,200
In-state Travel	$3,800	$3,500	$2,900	$2,100	$2,900
Out-of-state Travel	$2,500	$2,200	$2,700	$300	$2,700
Current Expense	$12,500	$12,400	$14,400	$6,600	$14,300
DP Current Expense	$500	$4,900	$3,400	$800	$3,400
Other Charges/Pass Thru	$0	$18,000	$5,000	$0	$5,000
Total	$131,900	$167,800	$173,600	$129,900	$179,500

Other Indicators	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Budgeted FTE	2.0	1.9	1.8	1.6	2.0

Subcommittee Table of Contents

Program: Conservation Commission

Function

The purpose of this program is to provide funding for the per diems of seven Conservation District supervisors who sit on the Conservation Commission (UCA 4-18-4). Each Conservation District has five locally elected individuals serving as supervisors, from whom the members of the Conservation Commission are chosen.

Funding Detail

Sources of Finance	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
General Fund	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800
General Fund, One-time	$100,000	$0	$0	$0	$0
Total	$108,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800

Categories of Expenditure	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Personnel Services	$2,200	$1,700	$2,100	$2,700	$3,400
In-state Travel	$6,800	$7,000	$6,700	$6,000	$5,400
Current Expense	$100	$100	$0	$100	$0
Other Charges/Pass Thru	$99,700	$0	$0	$0	$0
Total	$108,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800	$8,800

Subcommittee Table of Contents

Program: Resource Conservation

Function

The purpose of this program is to channel funds (pass-through) by direct payment of contracts to individual Conservation Districts (CD) and/or Utah Association of Conservation Districts to fulfill CD statutory duties relative to soil and water conservation (see UCA 17A-3-805). CDs have no taxing authority. They depend on the Conservation Commission for their board of directors, elections, and accountability.

Funding Detail

Sources of Finance	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
General Fund	$816,400	$816,400	$1,065,800	$1,049,300	$951,300
General Fund, One-time	$0	$100,000	$0	$0	$98,000
Federal Funds	$22,100	$7,900	$0	$0	$0
Dedicated Credits Revenue	$400	$300	$500	$300	$0
Agri Resource Development	$327,600	$327,600	$327,600	$380,400	$380,400
Closing Nonlapsing	($1,000)	($2,500)	$1,300	($3,500)	$0
Lapsing Balance	$0	($3,000)	$0	($1,000)	$0
Total	$1,165,500	$1,246,700	$1,395,200	$1,425,500	$1,429,700

Categories of Expenditure	2006 Actual	2007 Actual	2008 Actual	2009 Actual	2010 Approp
Personnel Services	$54,100	$53,900	$85,400	$85,400	$64,300
In-state Travel	$45,900	$51,700	$69,200	$42,900	$69,200
Current Expense	$8,300	$11,200	$14,000	$12,300	$14,000
Other Charges/Pass Thru	$1,057,200	$1,129,900	$1,226,600	$1,284,900	$1,282,200
Total	$1,165,500	$1,246,700	$1,395,200	$1,425,500	$1,429,700

Subcommittee Table of Contents