Mr. Colvin noted that, normally by this time of year, DEC has prepared a comparison of funding levels contained in the State’s Executive Budget with funding in the previous year’s budget.  Because the budget process is moving very quickly this year, detailed information on how the Department’s marine resource programs fared in the FY 05/06 state budget was unavailable for today’s meeting and will be presented at the Council’s April 2005 meeting.

Mr. Colvin did offer some insight into aspects of the Governors budget proposal.  By and large, the recommended appropriation in the state-operating budget for the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources appears to be about level with last year, with slight increases for inflation and an increase in fringe benefit rates.  The budget assumes maintenance of current staffing levels.  The current hiring freeze will remain in effect.  The Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) includes a $5,000,000 appropriation for the Hudson River Estuary Management Program, which is $1,000 000 less than this year.  Mr. Colvin observed that this is very important because the EPF through the Hudson River Estuary Management Program funds a lot of fisheries and marine habitat work.  The recommendation for the South Shore Estuary Reserve Program is $450,000, down from $600,000 in FY 04/05.

The budget proposes to reinstate application fees for tidal and freshwater wetlands permits.  The fee schedule would raise about $1,000,000 in a year.  This revenue would go into the main account of the States Conservation Fund.  Currently, fines paid by violators of the tidal wetlands regulations are deposited into the Marine Account of the Conservation Fund; this is actually the primary source of revenue to that account. Mr. Colvin reported that the main account of the Conservation Fund, which is supported by hunting and trapping and freshwater fishing license fees, has again experienced a significant revenue shortfall and the account is likely to be in the red.  Mr. Gerry Barnhart, Director of DEC’s Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources, will attend the next Council meeting to present and discuss this issue in more depth.

 

Page last modified Friday, April 15, 2005 by George E. Carroll