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25LSO-0213
ORIGINAL Senate
File No
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SF0088
ENROLLED ACT NO. 17,
SENATE
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session
AN ACT relating to the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act; providing for the funding of large projects under that act; specifying large projects approved for funding in 2025; authorizing distributions from the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust income account for approved large projects; providing for the 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
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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
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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 (n) of this section.
(c)
Thunder Basin Habitat III:
(i)
Project sponsor: Wyoming Game and Fish Commission;
(ii)
Project purpose: Restoration of native ecosystems through vegetation management, riparian restoration, fence modification and invasive species control on approximately forty-eight thousand eight hundred fifty (48,850) acres in northeast Wyoming in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, antelope and other species;
(B)
Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;
(C)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(D)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes.
(iii)
Project description: Rangeland restoration;
(iv)
Total project budget: Four million seventeen thousand three hundred forty dollars ($4,017,340.00);
(v)
Project grant: The total grant for the project, including all grants previously awarded for the project and the additional six hundred twenty thousand dollar ($620,000.00) grant authorized under this subsection, shall be nine hundred three thousand dollars ($903,000.00);
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board six hundred twenty thousand dollars ($620,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(d)
Baggs Valley Headwaters III:
(i)
Project sponsor: Little Snake River Conservation District;
(ii)
Project purpose: Restoration of native vegetation through mechanical, chemical and prescribed fire across a varied landscape of approximately five thousand three hundred (5,300) acres in Carbon county in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, moose, antelope and other species;
(B)
Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;
(C)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(D)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes.
(iii)
Project description: Rangeland restoration;
(iv)
Total project budget: Five million two hundred six thousand five hundred dollars ($5,206,500.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(e)
Kemmerer Highway 189 Migration:
(i)
Project sponsor: Wyoming Department of Transportation;
(ii)
Project purpose: Fence construction, roadway replacement and overpass and underpass construction on thirty (30) miles of extremely high wildlife and vehicle use roadway south of Kemmerer in Lincoln and Uinta counties in order to:
(A)
Allow for the safe movement of antelope, elk and deer across a major highway to increase connectivity and maintain populations for a variety of wildlife;
(B)
Reduce and eliminate the potential for catastrophic collisions that impact human life, wildlife and property damage.
(iii)
Project description: Highway crossing construction;
(iv)
Total project budget: Thirty-one million one hundred eighty-three thousand one hundred sixty-two dollars ($31,183,162.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant to the sponsor six million two hundred nine thousand eight hundred thirty-eight dollars ($6,209,838.00) for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board six million two hundred nine thousand eight hundred thirty-eight dollars ($6,209,838.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(f)
Wind River Front Cheatgrass:
(i)
Project sponsor: Fremont County Weed and Pest District;
(ii)
Project purpose: Removal of invasive grasses on approximately forty-eight thousand (48,000) acres in Fremont county in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, moose, antelope and bighorn sheep;
(B)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(C)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes;
(D)
Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high-quality ranch lands.
(iii)
Project description: Invasive species management;
(iv)
Total project budget: Three million five hundred thirty-four thousand eight hundred ninety dollars ($3,534,890.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant eight hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred twenty dollars ($883,720.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board eight hundred eighty-three thousand seven hundred twenty dollars ($883,720.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(g)
Seminoe Shirley Habitat II:
(i)
Project sponsor: Wyoming Game and Fish Commission;
(ii)
Project purpose: Restoration of native ecosystems through vegetation management, riparian restoration, fence modification and invasive species control on approximately one hundred thousand (100,000) acres in central Wyoming in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, antelope and other species;
(B)
Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;
(C)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(D)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes;
(E)
Maintain seasonal movement opportunities for native fish.
(iii)
Project description: Rangeland restoration;
(iv)
Total project budget: Five million nine hundred twenty-four thousand dollars ($5,924,000.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant to the sponsor three hundred seventy-two thousand dollars ($372,000.00) for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board three hundred seventy-two thousand dollars ($372,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.
Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(h)
NEWIGWG Cheatgrass:
(i)
Project sponsor: Sheridan County Weed and Pest District;
(ii)
Project purpose: Removal of invasive grasses on approximately seventy-eight thousand three hundred sixty (78,360) acres in Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell and Crook counties in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk and antelope;
(B)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(C)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes;
(D)
Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high-quality ranch lands.
(iii)
Project description: Invasive species management;
(iv)
Total project budget: Twenty-four million seven hundred thirty thousand six hundred seven dollars ($24,730,607.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(j)
Western Wyoming Cheatgrass:
(i)
Project sponsor: Teton County Weed and Pest District;
(ii)
Project purpose: Removal of invasive grasses on approximately sixty-nine thousand four hundred sixty-five (69,465) acres in western Wyoming in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, moose, antelope and bighorn sheep;
(B)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(C)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes;
(D)
Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high-quality ranch lands.
(iii)
Project description: Invasive species management;
(iv)
Total project budget: Fourteen million six hundred sixty-five thousand three hundred ninety-two dollars ($14,665,392.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant one million four hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board one million four hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(k)
Upper Green Fence II:
(i)
Project sponsor: Sublette County Conservation District;
(ii)
Project purpose: Renovation and replacement of key stretches of fifty (50) miles of movement barriers in Sublette County in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, antelope and other species;
(B)
Maintain primary migration corridors for native ungulates;
(C)
Maintain integrity of ranching operations.
(iii)
Project description: Fence modification;
(iv)
Total project budget: Two million five hundred ninety-seven thousand four hundred dollars ($2,597,400.00);
(v)
Project grant:
The total grant for the project, including all grants previously awarded for the project and the additional two hundred fifty thousand dollar ($250,000.00) grant authorized under this subsection, shall be five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00);
(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.
Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(m)
Wapiti Habitat Restoration:
(i)
Project sponsor: Trout Unlimited;
(ii)
Project purpose: Restoration of river system to allow migration of spawning fish, maintain stream function and improve adjacent habitats on approximately four (4) miles of the North Fork of the Shoshone River and key tributaries in Park county in order to:
(A)
Maintain seasonal movement opportunities for native fish;
(B)
Increase the productivity of aquatic and wetland ecosystems;
(C)
Maintain and improve irrigation efficiency for local agricultural operations;
(D)
Eliminate excessive erosion and maintain water quality;
(E)
Maintain uplands to provide habitat for deer, antelope, Greater Sage-grouse and a variety of migratory songbirds.
(iii)
Project description: River restoration;
(iv)
Total project budget: One million eight hundred thirty-three thousand five hundred eighty-six dollars ($1,833,586.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant to the sponsor five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($550,000.00) for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($550,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection.
Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
(n)
Natrona Core Cheatgrass:
(i)
Project sponsor: Wyoming Game and Fish Commission;
(ii)
Project purpose: Removal of invasive grasses on approximately sixty-nine thousand four hundred sixty-five (69,465) acres in western Wyoming in order to:
(A)
Maintain key seasonal habitats for mule deer, elk, antelope and other species;
(B)
Maintain Core Population Areas for Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species;
(C)
Conserve valuable grassland and intermediate shrubland ecotypes;
(D)
Maintain agricultural production and opportunity on high-quality ranch lands.
(iii)
Project description: Invasive species management;
(iv)
Total project budget: One million seven hundred eighty-four thousand five hundred dollars ($1,784,500.00);
(v)
Project grant: The board is authorized to grant eight hundred eighty-four thousand dollars ($884,000.00) to the sponsor for the purposes specified in this subsection;
(vi)
Appropriation: There is appropriated from the income account to the board eight hundred eighty-four thousand dollars ($884,000.00) or as much thereof as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection. Unexpended and unobligated funds appropriated under this subsection shall revert to the income account on June 30, 2029.
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
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