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DNR budget update: modest gains for parks and forestry, staffing and PFAS funding remain gaps
Summary
Department staff told the Natural Resources Board the 2025–27 biennial budget included wage adjustments and one-time park and forestry funds but left major requests — including stewardship reauthorization, access to the PFAS trust and long-term LTE funding — unmet, and eliminated 20 vacant positions concentrated in environmental management.
Department of Natural Resources budget director Maggie Hutter briefed the Natural Resources Board on Aug. 13 on how the recently enacted 2025–27 biennial budget affects agency programs, describing a mix of targeted one-time grants, modest revenue changes and several unmet requests.
The board heard the budget includes general wage adjustments of 3% in fiscal year 2026 and 2% in fiscal year 2027 that went into effect in September, and that parks received modest fee increases for nonresident admission, nonresident camping and electric campsites. Parks also received one-time operational authority tied to the additional fee revenue and $3.8 million per year for capital backlog projects; a site-specific $6 million appropriation was assigned to Kenosha…
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