Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee backs creation of Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund
Summary
The committee reported SB 367 favorable as amended; the bill would deposit remaining severance‑tax proceeds from sandstone mining into a new Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund and align the measure with an earlier House bill (HB 802).
The House Appropriations Committee on Monday reported Senate Bill 367 favorable as amended, moving forward a proposal to create a Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund to support watershed restoration projects.
Miss Little read the bill, and the presenter described it as a measure to deposit remaining severance‑tax receipts from sandstone mining into a new state fund after constitutional allocations. The sponsor said the bill was intended to begin at the Amity River Basin level and then expand statewide.
An amendment (set 5,446) makes SB 367 identical to House Bill 802, including deposit and reporting requirements and how the money would be appropriated. Representative Coates moved to adopt the amendment; it was adopted without objection. Several members praised the proposal as a useful funding mechanism; Representative Mack moved the bill favorably and the committee reported SB 367 favorable as amended.
The bill links available severance‑tax dollars from sandstone mining (after constitutionally required allocations) to watershed work; the transcript does not specify projected dollar amounts or an appropriation schedule.
