COBI 2015 - Resource Conservation

Overview
Issues
Performance
Background
Financials

Sources Uses

FY 2016 Appropriation

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).

Funding History

Funding Issues

Conservation Commission Employees

This is funding that may be needed to hire current UACD employees, as part of the restructuring of how the Conservation Commission funds the Conservation Districts. A Legislative Audit recommended changes in how the state is funding the 38 Conservation Districts. The plan is to no longer send the funds to the Utah Association of Conservation Districts (UACD), a nonprofit organization, but to hire the staff and use the Conservation Commission to distribute the funding.

Federal Grants

Requests for approval to apply for additional federal grants with details included in the Issue Brief, "Agencies' Requests for Federal Funds."

Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $8,755,100 from all sources for Resource Conservation. This is a 496.6 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $2,044,000 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 76.6 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Conservation Commission Employees$100,000$1,520,000

OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source

$100,000$0General Fund

$0$600,000General Fund, One-time

$0$500,000Federal Funds

$0$80,000Agri Resource Development

$0$340,000Transfers

Conservation Commission Equipment & Supplies$0$182,000

OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source

$0$182,000General Fund, One-time

Additional funding for equipment and supplies for the new staff from the UACD.

Federal Grants$0$5,125,000

OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source

$0$5,125,000Federal Funds

Requests for approval to apply for additional federal grants with details included in the Issue Brief, "Agencies' Requests for Federal Funds."

Statute

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:

Making strategies and programs to protect, conserve, utilize, and develop soil and water resources
Disseminating information regarding the districts' activities
Approving 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
Coordinating soil and water protection actions of state and other entities
Employing 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.

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 are delivered through the conservation districts.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 127

Under the terms of 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for Resource Conservation in Item 32, Chapter 5, Laws of Utah 2014, shall not lapse at the close of FY 2015. 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 $80,000.

HB0003: Item 127

The Legislature intends that Department of Agriculture and Food purchase seven new vehicles in FY 2015 for the Resource Conservation line item.

Display By:

Program

Funding Source

Expenditure Category

Appropriation Type:

Appropriation History by

Programs	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Resource Conservation Administration	163,400	201,300	264,100	213,200	374,400	400	374,800	5,135,600	5,510,400
Conservation Commission	10,700	8,400	9,500	11,900	11,200	0	11,200	0	11,200
Resource Conservation	1,361,000	1,377,000	1,311,300	1,374,200	1,281,400	(200,000)	1,081,400	2,152,100	3,233,500
Total	$1,535,100	$1,586,700	$1,584,900	$1,599,300	$1,667,000	($199,600)	$1,467,400	$7,287,700	$8,755,100

Sources of Finance	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
General Fund	1,131,800	1,130,800	1,134,300	1,153,700	1,157,300	0	1,157,300	104,100	1,261,400
General Fund, One-time	0	0	0	(141,300)	0	0	0	782,600	782,600
Federal Funds	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,625,000	5,625,000
Dedicated Credits Revenue	700	400	300	400	0	0	0	0	0
Agri Resource Development	386,100	386,100	386,100	386,100	386,100	0	386,100	80,000	466,100
Utah Rural Rehab Loan State Fund	0	122,700	122,700	126,200	123,600	0	123,600	6,400	130,000
Transfers	0	0	18,800	0	0	0	0	340,000	340,000
Beginning Nonlapsing	43,700	27,200	44,300	75,100	0	400	400	199,600	200,000
Closing Nonlapsing	(27,200)	(44,300)	(75,100)	(400)	0	(200,000)	(200,000)	150,000	(50,000)
Lapsing Balance	0	(36,200)	(46,500)	(500)	0	0	0	0	0
Total	$1,535,100	$1,586,700	$1,584,900	$1,599,300	$1,667,000	($199,600)	$1,467,400	$7,287,700	$8,755,100

Categories of Expenditure	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Personnel Services	229,300	250,400	332,900	265,200	272,000	0	272,000	9,500	281,500
In-state Travel	57,600	77,000	75,300	91,100	74,700	0	74,700	0	74,700
Out-of-state Travel	2,100	3,800	5,800	4,200	5,800	0	5,800	0	5,800
Current Expense	19,600	28,800	24,600	42,400	80,500	400	80,900	6,628,100	6,709,000
DP Current Expense	400	300	1,900	1,200	26,900	0	26,900	100	27,000
Other Charges/Pass Thru	1,226,100	1,226,400	1,144,400	1,195,200	1,207,100	(200,000)	1,007,100	350,000	1,357,100
Total	$1,535,100	$1,586,700	$1,584,900	$1,599,300	$1,667,000	($199,600)	$1,467,400	$6,987,700	$8,455,100

Show Table | Show Additional Information

Other Indicators	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Budgeted FTE	2	2	3	2	5	0	5	35	40
Actual FTE	1.90	1.90	3.60	2	0	0	0	0	0

COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.