2018 large project funding.

ORIGINAL
Senate
File No
.
SF0069

ENROLLED ACT NO. 32,

SENATE

SIXTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2018 Budget 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 2018; specifying conservation easements shall include the state of Wyoming as a third party beneficiary; authorizing distributions from the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust income account for approved large projects; providing for reversion of funds; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section
1
.

(a)

As used in this section:

(
i
)

"
Board
"
means the Wyoming wildlife and natural res
ource trust account board created by W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
104;

(ii)

"
I
ncome account
"
means
the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust income account created by W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
103(b).

(
b
)

Pursuant to the authority granted under W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
104(k) and subject to each recipient
'
s certification under W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
103(r), authorization is granted for funding of the large projects provided for in subsections (
c
) through (
k
) of this section.

(
c
)

Condict
Conservation Easement:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust;

(ii)

Project purpose: Removal of residential development rights of approximately five thousand (5,000) acres in Carbon county
in order to
:

(A)

Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer,
elk, antelope and greater sage

grouse;

(B)

Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;

(C)

Conserve valuable aspen, grassland and intermediate shrub
land
ecotypes;

(D)

Maintain agricultural pro
duction and opportunity on high

quality farm and ranch lands.

(iii)

Project description: Conservation easement;

(iv)

Tota
l project budget: Seven million
five hundred seventy
‑
four thousand seven hundred dollars ($7,574,700.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000.00) to the sponsor 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 the
purposes of this subsection;

(vii)

The conservation easement funded
in part
under this subsection shall provide that the state of
Wyoming is a
third party
beneficiary to the easement
as required by
W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
103(n).

(d)

Bates Hole Juniper
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Bureau of Land Management;

(ii)

Project purpose: Removal of invasive conifers on approximately five thousand (5,000) acres in Natrona county
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
, elk and
grassland obligate bird species;

(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: Five hundred sixty
‑
four thousand dollars ($564,000.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes 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 the purposes of this subsection.

(e)

Stockade Beaver Mule Deer Habitat II
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming
Game and Fish C
ommission;

(ii)

Project purpose: Removal of invasive conifers on approximately two thousand (2,000) acres in Weston county
in order to
:

(A)

Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer and greater sage

grouse;

(B)

Restore valuable aspen and intermediate shrubland ecotypes;

(C)

Increase the carrying capacity for mule deer and elk;

(D)

Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire due to excess fuel loading;

(E)

Increase water filtration 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: Four hundred fifty thousand three hundred eight dollars ($450,308.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes 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 the purposes of this subsection.

(f)

Bousman
Conservation Easement
:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust;

(ii)

Project purpose: Removal of residential development rights of approximately one thousand three hundred (1,300) acres in Sublette county
in order to
:

(A)

Maintain key seasonal habitats for mul
e deer, elk, moose, native fish
and greater sage

grouse;

(B)

Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;

(C)

Conser
ve valuable grassland, riparian
and mountain shrubland ecotypes;

(D)

Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high

quality farm and ranch lands.

(iii)

Project description: Conservation easement;

(iv)

Total project budget: One million eight hundred seventy
‑
four thousand seven hundred dollars ($1,874,700.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($450,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(vi)

Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board four hundred fifty thousand
dollars
($450,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out
the purposes of this subsection;

(vii)

The conservation easement funded in part under this subsection shall provide that the state of Wyoming is a
third party
beneficiary to the easement
as required by
W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
103(n).

(g)

Green Mountain Aspen II:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming Game and F
ish
C
ommission;

(ii)

Project purpose: Restoration of aspen and mountain shrub habitats in an area with extremely high wildlife diversity and public use in Fremont county
in order to
:

(A)

Maintain carrying capacity and migration routes for mule deer and elk;

(B)

Restore habitats of high importance to mule deer and elk;

(C)

Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire;

(D)

Increase water infiltration and reduce erosion on perennial and ephemeral stream channels.

(iii)

Project description: Aspen enhancement;

(iv)

Total project budget: Four hundred seventy
‑
six thousand six hundred dollars ($476,600.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant to the sponsor two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) for the purposes 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 the purposes of this subsection.

(h)

South Pass Aspen II:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming
Game and Fish C
ommission;

(ii)

Project purpose:
Restoration of aspen and mountain shrub habitats in an area with extremely high wildlife diversity and public use in Fremont county
in order to
:

(A)

Maintain carrying capacity and migration routes for mule deer, moose and elk;

(B)

Restore habitats of high importance to mule deer, moose and elk;

(C)

Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire;

(D)

Increase water infiltration and reduce erosion on perennial and ephemeral stream channels.

(iii)

Project description: Aspen enhancement;

(iv)

Total project budget: Six hundred thirty
‑
five thousand two hundred dollars ($635,200.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant to the sponsor two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(vi)

Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

(j)

Prospect Land and Cattle Conservation Easement:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: The Nature Conservancy;

(ii
)

Project purpose: Removal of residential
development rights of approximately ten thousand four hundred eleven (10,411) acres in Hot Springs county
in order to
:

(A)

Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and other species;

(B)

Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;

(C)

Conserve valuable aspen, grassland and mountain shrubland ecotypes;

(D)

Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high

quality farm and ranch lands.

(iii)

Project description: Conservation easement;

(iv)

Total project budget: Three million one hundred eighty
‑
six thousand four hundred
forty
dollars ($3,186,4
4
0.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant seven hundred ninety
‑
nine thousand five hundred dollars ($799,500.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(vi)

Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board seven hundred ninety
‑
nine thousand five hundred dollars ($799,500.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out
the purposes of this subsection;

(vii)

The conservation easement funded in part under this subsection shall provide that the state of Wyoming is a
third party
beneficiary to the easement
as required by
W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
103(n).

(k)

West Pass Creek:

(
i
)

Project sponsor: Wyoming
G
ame and
Fish C
ommission;

(ii)

Project purpose: Channel reconstruction and irrigation diversion enhancement on West Pass Creek in Sheridan county
in order to
:

(A)

Improve habitats for native cutthroat trout;

(B)

Reduce and eliminate streambank erosion and sediment loading;

(C)

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

(iii)

Project description: River restoration and irrigation enhancement;

(iv)

Total project budget: Seven hundred twenty
‑
eight thousand one hundred sixty dollars ($728,160.00);

(v)

Project grant: The board is authorized to grant to the sponsor three hundred twenty
‑
eight thousand dollars ($328,000.00) for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(vi)

Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board three hundred twenty
‑
eight thousand dollars ($328,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

(m)

Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under
this section
shall revert to the income account on June 30, 202
1
.

Section
2
.

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