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Committee approves Department of Environmental Quality budget with added certification and inspection funds
Summary
Appropriations Committee recommended a do-pass on Senate Bill 2024, the Department of Environmental Quality budget, with a small house-stage increase to operator certification funding and additions for fuel inspection and emerging contaminants.
The Appropriations Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 2024, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) budget, after Representative Berg summarized changes made in the Senate and the House and DEQ staff answered questions about federal funding and a planned laboratory.
Representative Berg told the committee the house recommendation increased special-fund support for water and wastewater operator certification testing by $30,500 (a 50 percent increase to $100,500) to expand test availability. "With these changes, we resulted in a total budget of $132,015,373 which is 14% general funds, 62% federal funds and 24% special funds," Berg said.
DEQ Director Dave Glott responded to questions about federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding and the laboratory project. Glott said the department believes IIJA monies allocated to water infrastructure projects are as secure as other federal funds but noted one grant for radon mitigation had been pulled earlier. He said the new laboratory was funded with ARPA dollars and, to his knowledge, those obligations are moving forward: "We feel that is as secure as any other federal money right now," Glott said.
The house changes previously adopted by the committee were limited, the sponsor said. In the Senate version the department had added one FTE for emerging contaminants and an additional FTE for the fuel inspection program; the Senate also included transfers for new and vacant FTE pools and special-fund support for temporary salaries tied to the state fuel inspection program. Representative Berg moved the committee to adopt the house amendment and then moved that the committee adopt the bill as amended. Representative Nelson seconded the final motion.
Committee discussion highlighted shortages of certified operators for municipal and rural water systems. Representative Nelson complimented DEQ's work to expand testing and improve passing rates for operator certifications, calling the increase in testing availability a notable improvement for rural systems where staffing and scheduling challenges limit training opportunities.
After the roll call the clerk announced the motion carried 22 yes, 0 no and 1 absent. Representative Berg will carry the bill.
