H.F. 846 : Allocate funds to core environmental programs instead of duplicative legislative review

A provision in the House proposed Environment Omnibus bill adds new requirements for legislative review of water quality rules. These provisions add new layers of bureaucracy and will delay and weaken the state’s ability to protect lakes and rivers from phosphorus, nitrates, and other pollution.

The Administrative Procedure Act already requires extensive peer review and cost analysis of water quality rules. The proposed bill would require an additional layer of analysis and review and would give the legislature veto power over proposed rules, injecting politics into the state’s ability to protect water quality.

This additional analysis and review is highly duplicative of the existing process and will cost the state over $12 million in the next two years.

An amendment to the bill eliminates the these new requirements and re-allocates the dollars to core environmental programs including forest management, parks and trails, and preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).

Members At The Time Of The Vote