Agency: Agriculture Line Item: Resource Conservation 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).
The purpose of the programs in this line item is to curb the loss of soil and water to natural erosion, human-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 16-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 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for Resource Conservation in Item 192, Chapter 2, Laws of Utah 2010, shall not lapse at the close of FY 2011. Expenditures of these funds are limited to: Capital Equipment or Improvements $30,000; Computer Equipment/Software $25,000; Employee Training/Incentives $20,000; Equipment/Supplies $20,000; Vehicles $25,000; Special Projects/Studies $15,000. Funding Detail Sources of Finance | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | General Fund | $1,238,800 | $1,228,100 | $1,130,200 | $1,131,800 | $1,130,800 | General Fund, One-time | $0 | $0 | $97,100 | $0 | $0 | Dedicated Credits Revenue | $500 | $300 | $400 | $700 | $0 | Agri Resource Development | $333,300 | $386,100 | $386,100 | $386,100 | $386,100 | Utah Rural Rehab Loan | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $122,700 | Beginning Nonlapsing | $5,000 | $0 | $48,000 | $43,700 | $0 | Closing Nonlapsing | $0 | ($48,000) | ($43,700) | ($27,200) | $0 | Lapsing Balance | $0 | ($2,300) | ($2,300) | $0 | $0 | Total | $1,577,600 | $1,564,200 | $1,615,800 | $1,535,100 | $1,639,600 |
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  | Programs: | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Resource Conservation Administration | $173,600 | $129,900 | $184,700 | $163,400 | $162,500 | Conservation Commission | $8,800 | $8,800 | $8,000 | $10,700 | $12,100 | Resource Conservation | $1,395,200 | $1,425,500 | $1,423,100 | $1,361,000 | $1,465,000 | Total | $1,577,600 | $1,564,200 | $1,615,800 | $1,535,100 | $1,639,600 |
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  | Categories of Expenditure | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Personnel Services | $232,700 | $208,200 | $228,900 | $229,300 | $337,600 | In-state Travel | $78,800 | $51,000 | $69,600 | $57,600 | $71,300 | Out-of-state Travel | $2,700 | $300 | $1,900 | $2,100 | $5,500 | Current Expense | $28,400 | $19,000 | $26,200 | $19,600 | $34,000 | DP Current Expense | $3,400 | $800 | $2,600 | $400 | $800 | Other Charges/Pass Thru | $1,231,600 | $1,284,900 | $1,286,600 | $1,226,100 | $1,190,400 | Total | $1,577,600 | $1,564,200 | $1,615,800 | $1,535,100 | $1,639,600 |
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  | Other Indicators | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Budgeted FTE | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | Actual FTE | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
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| Subcommittee Table of ContentsProgram: Resource Conservation Administration Function The Resource Conservation Administration 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 Most of the resources in this program come from the General Fund. The small appropriation 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 | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | General Fund | $164,200 | $170,000 | $170,100 | $171,700 | $156,800 | General Fund, One-time | $0 | $0 | ($900) | $0 | $0 | Agri Resource Development | $5,700 | $5,700 | $5,700 | $5,700 | $5,700 | Beginning Nonlapsing | $5,000 | $0 | $48,000 | $43,700 | $0 | Closing Nonlapsing | ($1,300) | ($44,500) | ($37,000) | ($57,700) | $0 | Lapsing Balance | $0 | ($1,300) | ($1,200) | $0 | $0 | Total | $173,600 | $129,900 | $184,700 | $163,400 | $162,500 |
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  | Categories of Expenditure | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Personnel Services | $145,200 | $120,100 | $153,800 | $143,400 | $143,800 | In-state Travel | $2,900 | $2,100 | $10,100 | $4,200 | $5,000 | Out-of-state Travel | $2,700 | $300 | $1,900 | $2,100 | $5,500 | Current Expense | $14,400 | $6,600 | $16,300 | $13,300 | $7,400 | DP Current Expense | $3,400 | $800 | $2,600 | $400 | $800 | Other Charges/Pass Thru | $5,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | Total | $173,600 | $129,900 | $184,700 | $163,400 | $162,500 |
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  | Other Indicators | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Budgeted FTE | 1.8 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | Actual FTE | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
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| Subcommittee Table of ContentsProgram: Conservation Commission Function The Conservation Commission funds 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 | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | General Fund | $8,800 | $8,800 | $8,800 | $8,800 | $12,100 | Closing Nonlapsing | $0 | $0 | ($800) | $1,900 | $0 | Total | $8,800 | $8,800 | $8,000 | $10,700 | $12,100 |
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  | Categories of Expenditure | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Personnel Services | $2,100 | $2,700 | $2,200 | $2,800 | $3,300 | In-state Travel | $6,700 | $6,000 | $5,600 | $7,900 | $6,000 | Current Expense | $0 | $100 | $200 | $0 | $2,800 | Total | $8,800 | $8,800 | $8,000 | $10,700 | $12,100 |
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Subcommittee Table of ContentsProgram: Resource Conservation Function The Resource Conservation program channels 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 | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | General Fund | $1,065,800 | $1,049,300 | $951,300 | $951,300 | $961,900 | General Fund, One-time | $0 | $0 | $98,000 | $0 | $0 | Dedicated Credits Revenue | $500 | $300 | $400 | $700 | $0 | Agri Resource Development | $327,600 | $380,400 | $380,400 | $380,400 | $380,400 | Utah Rural Rehab Loan | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $122,700 | Closing Nonlapsing | $1,300 | ($3,500) | ($5,900) | $28,600 | $0 | Lapsing Balance | $0 | ($1,000) | ($1,100) | $0 | $0 | Total | $1,395,200 | $1,425,500 | $1,423,100 | $1,361,000 | $1,465,000 |
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  | Categories of Expenditure | 2008 Actual | 2009 Actual | 2010 Actual | 2011 Actual | 2012 Approp | Personnel Services | $85,400 | $85,400 | $72,900 | $83,100 | $190,500 | In-state Travel | $69,200 | $42,900 | $53,900 | $45,500 | $60,300 | Current Expense | $14,000 | $12,300 | $9,700 | $6,300 | $23,800 | Other Charges/Pass Thru | $1,226,600 | $1,284,900 | $1,286,600 | $1,226,100 | $1,190,400 | Total | $1,395,200 | $1,425,500 | $1,423,100 | $1,361,000 | $1,465,000 |
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Subcommittee Table of Contents |