Bill No.: SF0007                     Drafter:  MRW

LSO No.:   10LSO-0006                 Effective Date:  7/1/2010

                                                     VETOED IN PART

Enrolled Act No.:    SEA0047

Chapter No.:

Prime Sponsor:       Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee

Catch Title:         Rangeland health assessments.

Subject:   Rangeland health assessments.

Summary/Major Elements:

· Current law does not provide for any assessment of Wyoming's rangeland nor does it provide any assistance in determining the health of Wyoming rangeland.

· This bill creates the rangeland health assessment program to consider the impact on state, federal, local and private property.  It establishes rangeland monitoring if necessary and includes protections necessary for the management of soil erosion and vegetation loss.

· This bill provides for the cooperation between the department of agriculture, the University of Wyoming, county governments, federal agencies and private landowners.  The assessments will only be conducted on federal or state managed lands and requires the voluntary cooperation and participation of all entities. 

· The bill requires matching funds for any contracts entered into through the University of Wyoming, institutions of higher education and other qualified state and local governmental agencies and provides for adoption of necessary rules and regulations.  The bill allows for funds under the federal natural resource policy account to be spent on the development of rangeland health assessments.

· This bill provides:

o $20,000 to the department of agriculture to develop the rangeland health assessment program.

o $200,000 to the department of agriculture to participate in and to contract for rangeland health assessments.  THIS $200,000 APPROPRIATION WAS VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR.

o $100,000 to the department of agriculture to contract with the University of Wyoming to provide training and technical assistance, collection of data, education, coordination and participation in rangeland health assessments.

Comments:

· Report required:  The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to report to the Agriculture Committee no later than January 1, 2012 regarding the department's progress on the rangeland health assessments and on the funds spent on the program.

THIS BILL WAS VETOED IN PART.  The Governor vetoed as overbroad the creation of W.S. 11-2-207(d)(i) which would have facilitated the multiple use of the resource.  The Governor also vetoed the $200,000 appropriation to contract for the rangeland assessments stating that an appropriation may be necessary in the 2011 supplemental budget after the program has been established, priorities defined and rules promulgated.