Conservation Advocate

Just another WordPress site

Donate | Updates | Contact   
You are here: Home / Public Policy / 2017-2018 Budget Brief

2017-2018 Budget Brief

Posted on February 15, 2017 Leave a Comment

Gov. Tom Wolf Tuesday proposed a $32.7 billion General Fund budget along with $2.7 billion (Republicans say a $3.6 billion) increases in personal income, Sales, tobacco, Bank Shares and insurance premium taxes.
He also proposed a new severance tax on natural gas production, with a credit toward the drilling impact fees paid, to go into the General Fund, and an increase in the state waste disposal fee from $7.25 to $9.00/ton.

The proposal includes $50.9 million in additional funding for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to take another step toward weaning the agency off the Oil and Gas Lease Fund revenue.

The proposed budget would increase the state waste disposal fee by $1.75/ton with the resulting $35 million in revenue to be deposited in the Oil and Gas Lease Fund (page H48) to help make up for the loss of revenue from DCNR natural gas royalties to the Fund.

The existing and new waste fees are also proposed to be expanded to construction and demolition and residual waste which are not now covered.  Captive waste landfills would remain exempt from the per ton waste fees.

The current fees are $4.25/ton to pay debt service for the Growing Greener II bond issue (it was used annually to fund Growing Greener Projects), a $2.00/ton recycling fee and a $1.00/ton minimum host community benefit fee.

The fee increase and expansion are  necessary to allow the continued transfers out of the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund and the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund required by Act 13.

$35 million is to be transferred to the Environmental Stewardship Fund and $15 million to the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund in FY 2016-17.
A change in law is needed to raise and expand the waste disposal fee.  If the fee increase is not enacted, there will be reduced funding available for both the Growing Greener and Hazardous Sites Cleanup programs.

Courtesy of PA Environment Digest (an update on environmental issues in Pennsylvania courtesy of Crisci Associates).

Filed Under: Public Policy Tagged With: state budget

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Land Trusts, Trail Groups, Local Governments, and Other Landowners Get New Liability Protection

October 25, 2018

On October 24, 2018, Governor Wolf signed Act 98 into law. Act 98 amends the Pennsylvania Recreation Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA) to better protect from liability those who open their properties to the public for recreation without charge. Improvements to the law include: Explicitly listing paths, paved and unpaved trails, fishing and […]

Governor Signs HB 2468

June 25, 2018

Governor Wolf quietly signed HB 2468 (and several other bills) into law on Sunday, June 24. The bill is now Act 45 of 2018. A correction to the previous PALTA communication: Act 45 should apply retroactively to McCormick Farm, so, hopefully, the Cumberland Valley School District will cease its pursuit of the farm. The district […]

HB 2468 Is on Governor’s Desk

June 25, 2018

Friday evening, after the Senate passed HB 2468 (37-12), the House voted to concur (177-15) with the Senate’s changes to the bill. The governor is expected to sign the bill. This is a thrilling victory for conservation! This landmark, bipartisan legislation provides a crucial safeguard for conservation easements from the unnecessary exercise of eminent domain […]

Issues

  • Public Investments in Conservation
  • Protection of Public Parks & Open Space
  • Conservation Incentives
  • State Budget
  • PA Constitution and the Environment
  • PA Conservation-Related Laws

Advocacy Resources

  • Find Your Legislator
  • Get Out the Vote
  • Become a Conservation Advocate
  • Legislative Outreach Tutorial
  • Rules for Nonprofits
  • Advocacy Links
About Us | Archive
ConservationAdvocate.org is administered by the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association.