HF2490 : Bonding for habitat, parks, trails, and water quality

Every two years, the Legislature passes the state’s regular capital investment bill, which is also known as the bonding bill. The bonding bill is an important source of funding for long-term habitat protection, parks, trails, and water quality projects.

The bonding package approved by the House Capital Investment Committee included strong funding for conservation projects.  Subsequent committees reduced the amounts for habitat and buffer easements, but the House bonding bill still included strong conservation funding, including $8 million for habitat protection; $15 million for easements to reduce run-off and protect surface waters; $1 million for groundwater protection, $40 million for parks and trails, and $46 million for water quality projects.

A conference committee of House and Senate members reduced the amount for habitat protection to $2 million, eliminated funding for groundwater protection, and reduced the amount for easements to $6 million.  However, the conference report included nearly $50 million for state and metro parks and trails, and over $40 million for water quality projects.