Back to Wyoming

SF0112 • 2020

2020 large project funding.

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act; providing for funding of large projects under that act; authorizing the additional grant of funds for a large project; specifying projects approved for funding in 2020; authorizing distributions from the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust income account for approved projects; providing for reversion of funds; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Nat Res Fund
Last action
2020-03-12
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
3/12/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how future funding decisions will be made after initial grants are used up.

2020 Large Project Funding for Wildlife and Natural Resources

This law provides funding from a special account to support specific conservation projects aimed at treating invasive grasses and restoring natural habitats in Wyoming.

What This Bill Does

  • Provides money from the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Income Account for three major projects: Sublette Cheatgrass II, Sheridan Invasive Grasses II, and Sunlight Basin Habitat II.
  • Requires each project to be approved by the legislature if it costs more than $200,000 or if additional funding is needed for existing projects over $100,000.
  • Specifies that funds must go back into the trust account if they are not used within a certain time frame.
  • Requires project sponsors to confirm no kickbacks were given or received.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Account Board
  • Project sponsors like Sublette County Weed and Pest District, Sheridan County Weed and Pest District, and Wyoming Game and Fish Commission

Terms To Know

Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Income Account
A special account that holds money for conservation projects.
Kickbacks
Money or gifts given to influence decisions unfairly.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only funds specific projects and does not cover all possible conservation needs.
  • It is unclear how future funding will be decided for similar projects after the initial grants are used up.

Bill History

  1. 2020-03-12 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 75

  2. 2020-03-12 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0032

  3. 2020-03-09 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0032

  4. 2020-03-06 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0032

  5. 2020-03-06 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0032

  6. 2020-03-06 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 51-7-2-0-0

  7. 2020-03-05 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2020-03-04 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2020-03-03 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2020-03-03 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  11. 2020-03-02 House

    S06 - Travel:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  12. 2020-03-02 House

    H06 - Travel:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  13. 2020-02-28 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H06 - Travel

  14. 2020-02-25 House

    H Received for Introduction

  15. 2020-02-25 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-0-0-0-0

  16. 2020-02-24 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2020-02-21 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  18. 2020-02-20 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  19. 2020-02-20 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  20. 2020-02-18 Senate

    S COW:Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  21. 2020-02-18 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  22. 2020-02-18 Senate

    S06 - Travel:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  23. 2020-02-13 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S06 - Travel 30-0-0-0-0

  24. 2020-02-11 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  25. 2020-02-11 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 20LSO-0402
Bill No.:

SF0112

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

20LSO-0402

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0032

Chapter No.:

75

Prime Sponsor:

Select Natural Resource Funding Committee

Catch Title:

2020 large project funding.

Subject:

Large conservation projects approved for funding from the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust.

Summary/Major Elements:

The Wyoming Legislature has established an account for natural resource conservation and wildlife projects. The legislature must approve each project that exceeds two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) and additional funding for existing projects that exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00).

This year's large project bill includes projects to support the treatment of invasive grasses and the restoration of stream functions.

This year's large projects are Sublette Cheatgrass II and Sheridan Invasive Grasses II.

This year's additional authorization for spending on existing projects is for Sunlight Basin Habitat II.

The act also establishes that each funding recipient must certify that no kickbacks or gratuities were received or made.

Comments:

The act authorizes the expenditure of appropriated funds from the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Income Account.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent. While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
20LSO-0402

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0112

ENROLLED ACT NO. 32,

SENATE

SIXTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2020 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act; providing for funding of large projects under that act; authorizing the additional grant of funds for a large project; specifying projects approved for funding in 2020; authorizing distributions from the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust income account for approved 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 resource trust account board created by W.S. 9
‑
15
‑
104;

(ii) "Income 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 (e) of this section.

(c) Sublette Cheatgrass II:

(i) Project sponsor: Sublette County Weed and Pest District;

(ii) Project purpose: Chemical, mechanical and other treatments of noxious
Bromus
species on approximately one hundred eighty thousand (180,000) acres in Sublette county in order to:

(A) Improve habitats for native wildlife species;

(B) Reduce and eliminate the potential for catastrophic wildfires;

(C) Improve habitats for greater sage-grouse in core population areas;

(D) Enhance rangelands for livestock use.

(iii) Project description: Invasive species elimination;

(iv) Total project budget: Two million four hundred sixty-five thousand five hundred ninety-five dollars ($2,465,595.00);

(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.

(d) Sheridan Invasive Grasses II:

(i) Project sponsor: Sheridan County Weed and Pest District;

(ii) Project purpose: Chemical, mechanical and other treatments of noxious
Medusahead
and
Ventenata
species on approximately forty-four thousand (44,000) acres in Sheridan county in order to:

(A) Improve habitats for native wildlife species;

(B) Reduce and eliminate the potential for catastrophic wildfires;

(C) Reduce or eliminate the potential spread of highly invasive grass species;

(D) Enhance rangelands for livestock use.

(iii) Project description: Invasive species elimination;

(iv) Total project budget: One million five hundred fifty-five thousand dollars ($1,555,000.00);

(v) Project grant: The board is authorized to grant four hundred forty-six thousand dollars ($446,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(vi) Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board four hundred forty-six thousand dollars ($446,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

(e) Sunlight Basin Habitat II:

(i) Project sponsor: Wyoming Game and Fish Commission;

(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 creeks;

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

(D) Increase the amount of forage available for wintering ungulates.

(iii) Project description: River and rangeland restoration;

(iv) Total project budget: Two million nine hundred ninety-three thousand eight hundred twenty-nine dollars ($2,993,829.00);

(v) Project grant: The board is authorized to grant one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;

(vi) Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.

(f) Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this section shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2023.

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