ENVIRONMENT & RECREATION
The Conference Committee budget largely adopted the funding levels recommended by the full Senate in its budget. The Conference Report also recommends consolidating some accounts largely within the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
In the Department of Agriculture budget, the Conference Committee provides $12 million in funding for the regional food banks. This is the level recommended in the House and Senate’s final budgets and the amount appropriated in the FY 2009 GAA. The Conference Committee mirrored the House and Senate proposals in not funding the Agricultural Innovation Center which received $1.5 million in the FY 2009 GAA.
The Conference Committee merged DCR funding for beaches, pools and seasonal employees into a single account. The Conference Report provides $13.1 million to this consolidated account, the same level recommended by the Senate. This amount is $1.5 million less than the House budget and $2.7 million less than the FY 2009 GAA.
Funding for urban and state parks is also merged in the Conference Report, a recommendation included in both the House and Senate budget proposals. The Conference Committee provides $46.7 million for parks which is $100,000 higher than the Senate’s recommendation but is $1.4 million below the House’s final budget recommendations and $9.1 million lower than amount provided for state and urban parks in the FY 2009 GAA.
The Conference Committee adopted the House’s recommendation to merge the two accounts funding snow and ice removal and lighting maintenance on DCR’s parkways. The Conference Report provides $5.8 million for these activities which is the same level recommended by the Senate but $300,000 less than the House’s proposal. While the Conference Report’s funding level is $1.8 million more than the FY 2009 GAA it is $1.4 million lower than total funding for these activities after the Legislature approved almost $3 million more in funding for snow and ice removal on the parkways.
Staff
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