Committee adopts DE1 for House File 2439 and refers omnibus environment budget to Ways and Means

The Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee adopted the DE1 amendment to House File 2439 and voted to re‑refer the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee at a committee meeting on April 8, 2025.

House File 2439, presented by Co‑Chair Josh Heintzeman, is a “keep the lights on” omnibus environment and natural resources budget that extends current appropriations into the 2026–27 biennium while omitting the governor’s proposed operating adjustments. After adopting the DE1 amendment, the committee re‑referred the bill with instructions for nonpartisan staff to make technical corrections.

The bill maintains baseline funding for many agency programs but implements $10 million in targeted reductions to meet a committee fiscal target. Nonpartisan staff identified the reductions on the spreadsheet as: a $3 million cut to local climate action grants, a $5 million cut to enhanced grasslands and wetland restoration on wildlife management areas (WMAs) for carbon capture and resiliency, and a $2 million cut to climate private‑land/working‑land restoration easements. The spreadsheet presented by nonpartisan staff shows total direct appropriations from all funds just under $1,150,000,000 and total all‑fund spending, including statutory and open appropriations, of about $2,280,000,000.…