2017 Large project funding.

ORIGINAL
Senate
ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0072

ENROLLED ACT NO. 51,

SENATE

SIXTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2017 General Session

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act; providing for funding of large projects under that act; specifying large projects approved for funding in 2017; requiring certifications regarding kickbacks and gifts; providing appropriations; providing for reversion of funds; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
103 by creating a new subsection (r) is amended to read:

9
‑
15
‑
103
.

Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account created; income account created; expenditures; purposes.

(r)

No funds shall be disbursed under this act unless the person receiving the funds certifies that no gratuities, kickbacks, gifts, commissions, contingency fees or other considerations have been or will be made in connection with the appropriation or the associated grant made by the board.

Section
2
.

(a)

Pursuant to the authority granted under W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
104(k), a
uthorization is granted for funding of the large projects provided
for
in
subs
ection
s (b) through (m
) of this section
.

(
b
)

Baggs Mule Deer Habitat:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Little Snake River Conservation District;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Removal of invasive conifers and other invasive species on approximately eleven thousand two hundred (11,200) acres in Carbon
C
ounty in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer and
Greater Sage
‑
Grouse
;

(
B
)

Restore valuable aspen and intermediate shrub land ecotypes;

(
C
)

Increase the carrying capacity for mule deer,
Greater Sage
‑
Grouse
and elk;
and

(
D
)

Increase water infiltration and reduce erosion and water yield on high quality upland habitats.

(
iii
)

Project description: Invasive species removal and reseeding of native plants;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Seven hundred seven thousand fifty dollars ($707,050.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant two hundred eighty thousand nine hundred dollars ($280,900.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this sub
section;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred eighty thousand nine hundred dollars ($280,900.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
c
)

Pete’s Pond
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Dubois Anglers and Wildlife Group;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Deepwater fisheries habitat, wetland creation and riparian vegetation enhancement in order to:

(
A
)

Provide economic enhancement to a community that is highly dependent on
recreational tourism;

(
B
)

Abate high stream flows through a natural diversion, retention and wetland filtering system
; and

(
C
)

Enhance hab
itats for waterfowl, amphibians
and other species of interest to the
s
tate of Wyoming.

(
iii
)

Project description: Pond and wetland construction, channel design and modification and enhancement of diversion structures;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Five hundred ninety
‑
seven thousand five hundred forty
‑
two dollars ($597,542.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor two hundred ninety
thousand
dollars ($290,000.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred ninety thousand dollars ($290,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
d
)

Coal Creek Rehabilitation
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor:
Wyoming g
ame and
f
ish
c
ommission;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Restoration of stream function and fish passage on a stream in an area with extremely high wildlife diversity and critical habitat function in Lincoln County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain habitats and migration passage for Bonneville
c
utthroat trout;

(
B
)

Reduce or eliminate large sediment loads which
a
ffect downstream irrigators and fisheries;

(
C
)

Stabilize streambanks and adjacent riparian habitats to maintain proper stream function
;
and

(
D
)

P
rovide reliable access and road placement that will allow use by grazing permittees and recreational users.

(
iii
)

Project description: River restoration;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Nine hundred five thousand seven hundred dollars ($905,700.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant
to the sponsor two hundred ninety thousand dollars ($290,000.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred ninety thousand dollars ($290,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
e
)

Sunlight Basin Habitat
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming
g
ame and
f
ish
c
ommission;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Restoration of stream function and adjacent meadow and riparian uplands on approximately
four hundred (
400
)
acres of lands providing crucial winter range to elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep and moose in Park County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain habitats and migration passage for game species;

(
B
)

Reduce or eliminate sediment loads on Sunlight, Painter and Trail
C
reek
s
;

(
C
)

Stabilize streambanks and adjacent riparian habitats to maintain proper stream function
;
and

(
D
)

Increase the amount of forage available for wintering ungulates.

(
iii
)

Project description: River restoration and rangeland restoration;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: One million six hundred
two
thousand three hundred dollars ($1,602,300.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor seven hundred eighty
‑
eight thousand dollars ($788,000.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board seven hundred eighty
‑
eight thousand dollars ($788,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

(
f
)

Medicine Lodge Creek Rehabilitation
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming
g
ame and
fish c
ommission;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Restoration of stream function and fish passage on a stream in an area with extremely high wildlife diversity in Big Horn County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain habitats and migration passage for trout in an area with high levels of public recreational use;

(
B
)

Reduce or eliminate sediment loads and improve irrigation infrastructure for downstream irrigators;

(
C
)

Stabilize streambanks and adjacent riparian habitats to
maintain proper stream function;
and

(
D
)

P
rovide reliable access and road placement that will allow use by grazing permittees and recreational users.

(
iii
)

Project description: River restoration;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: One million three hundred eighty
‑
five thousand two hundred dollars ($1,385,200.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor five hundred seventy
‑
two thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($572,750.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board five hund
red seventy
‑
two thousand seven h
undred fifty dollars ($572,750.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
g
)

Weber River Conservation Easement
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor:
The Nature Conservancy;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Conservation easement on approximately
five hundred twelve
(
512
)
acres of private land in Carbon County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain crucial habitats for mule deer, antelope, Colorado River cutthroat trout,
Greater Sage
‑
Grouse
, amphibians and raptors;
and

(
B
)

Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high quality farm and ranch lands
.

(
iii
)

Project description: Conservation
e
asement;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: One million eight hundred twenty
‑
one thousand three hundred thirty
‑
two dollars ($1,821,332.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor four hundred thirty thousand dollars ($430,000.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board four hundred thirty thousand dollars ($430,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
h
)

Government Draw Invasives
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Fremont County Weed and Pest District;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Treatment and eradication of invasive species on approximately
one hundred sixty thousand
(
160,000
)
acres of state, private and federal lands in Fremont County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain crucial habitats for mule deer, antelope,
Greater Sage
‑
Grouse
and other sagebrush obligate species;

(
B
)

Maintain and improve forage quantity and quality for
livestock;
and

(
C
)

Prevent expansion of invasive species into other important habitats and agricultural production areas
.

(
iii
)

Project description: Invasive species removal;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Six hundred fifty
‑
two thousand five hundred dollars ($652,500.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
j
)

Wyoming Range Mule Deer III
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming
g
ame and
fish c
ommission;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Treatment of habitats on approximately
fifty
‑
six thousand
(
56,000
)
acres of state, private and federal lands in Sublette County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain and improve crucial habitats for mule deer, antelope, elk,
Greater Sage
‑
Grouse
and other sagebrush obligate species;

(
B
)

Maintain and improve forage quantity and quality for livestock and wildlife;

(
C
)

Prevent expansion of invasive species into other important habitats and agricultural production areas
;
and

(
D
)

Reduce the future risk of catastrophic wildfire and disease transmission
.

(
iii
)

P
roject description: Rangeland habitat enhancement;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Five million seventy thousand twenty
‑
eight dollars (
$
5,070
,
028.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000.00) for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
k
)

Muddy Creek Wetlands VI
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Little Snake River Conservation District;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Wetland creation and enhancement on approximately sixty (60) acres of state, private and federal lands in Carbon County in order to:

(
A
)

Maintain valuable habitats for waterfowl, shore birds, wading birds, amphibians and other wetland species;

(
B
)

Capture and reduce sediment loads into the Li
ttle Snake River aquatic system;
and

(
C
)

Expand upon approximately six hundred (600) acres of limited wetland habitat in southern Wyoming
.

(
iii
)

Project description: Wetland creation and enhancement;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Five hundred twenty
‑
five thousand dollars ($525,000.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor two hundred fifteen thousand dollars ($215,000.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred fifteen thousand dollars ($215,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out t
he purposes of this subsection.

(
m
)

Little Snake River Restoration IV
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Little Snake River Conservation District;

(
ii
)

Project purpose: Channel reconstruction and wetland creation and enhancement on approximately
one
(1)

mile of riparian habitat in Carbon County in order to:

(
A
)

Improve habitats for fish, waterfowl, shore birds, wading birds, amphibians and other wetland species;

(
B
)

Reduce and eliminate streambank erosion and sediment loading in the Li
ttle Snake River aquatic system;
and

(
C
)

Improve irrigation efficiency and agricultural production on historic ranch and farm lands in southern Wyoming
.

(
iii
)

Project description: River restoration and wetland creation;

(
iv
)

Total
project budget: Five hundred fifty
‑
eight thousand three hundred dollars ($558,300.00);

(
v
)

Project grant: The Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board is authorized to grant to the sponsor two hundred twenty
‑
three thousand three hundred dollars ($223,300.00) for the purpose
s specified in this subsection;

(
vi
)

Appropriation
: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred twenty
‑
three thousand three hundred dollars ($223,300.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out th
e purposes of this subsection.

Section 3
.

Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under section 2 of this act shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2020.

Section
4
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the
Senate
.

Chief Clerk

1