1999 State of Wyoming 99LSO-0344
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0150 [SUBSTITUTE NO. 1]
Federal natural resource policy account.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Philp, Eyre, Huckfeldt,
Paseneaux and Simons and Senator(s) Barton,
Cathcart, Coe and Geis
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to the federal natural resource policy
2 account; creating a federal natural resource policy account
3 within the special revenue fund; specifying the purpose of
4 the account to fund monitoring and challenges of federal
5 natural resource policies which adversely affect the state;
6 providing a statement of purpose; providing an
7 appropriation; requiring reports as specified; and providing
8 for an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
11
12 Section 1. W.S. 9-4-218 is created to read:
13
14 9-4-218. Federal natural resource policy account
15 created; purposes.
16
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1 (a) There is created within the special revenue fund
2 an account known as the "federal natural resource policy
3 account." Funds within the account may be expended by the
4 governor on behalf of the state of Wyoming and its local
5 governments, to take any of the actions specified in this
6 subsection in response to federal land, water, air, mineral
7 and other natural resource policies which may affect the tax
8 base of the state, wildlife management, private property
9 rights, water rights or leasehold rights. Funds also may be
10 expended for preparing and participating in environmental
11 impact statements and environmental assessments, including
12 analysis of economic or social and natural or physical
13 environmental effects on the human environment. The governor
14 may expend funds from the federal natural resource policy
15 account for:
16
17 (i) Participation of the state, a state agency or
18 a county as a joint lead agency to prepare an environmental
19 impact statement in accordance with regulations promulgated
20 by the environmental quality council;
21
22 (ii) Participation of the state, a state agency
23 or a county as a cooperating agency in accordance with
24 regulations promulgated by the environmental quality
25 council. Participation may include:
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1
2 (A) Involvement in the National
3 Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process at the earliest
4 possible time;
5
6 (B) Involvement in the scoping process
7 described in regulations promulgated by the environmental
8 quality council;
9
10 (C) Development of information and
11 preparation of environmental analyses including portions of
12 the environmental impact statement in which Wyoming has
13 special expertise;
14
15 (D) Making staff support available at the
16 lead agency's request to enhance Wyoming's interdisciplinary
17 capability; and
18
19 (E) Expenditure of state or county funds.
20
21 (iii) Initiation of litigation only after all
22 reasonable avenues and methods to negotiate a settlement
23 have been exhausted;
24
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1 (iv) Participation in monitoring of federal
2 natural resource issues.
3
4 (b) All funds including any recovered court costs and
5 earned interest remaining in the federal natural resource
6 policy account at the end of a biennium shall remain in the
7 account to implement the purposes of this section.
8
9 Section 2. The Wyoming legislature recognizes the
10 impact made on Wyoming custom, culture, economy and the
11 management of natural resources within Wyoming by proposed
12 federal natural resource management policies. The Wyoming
13 legislature desires to coordinate, cooperate and communicate
14 with the federal government and, if necessary, challenge
15 federal natural resource management policies which are
16 implemented or advanced in contravention of decisions made
17 by the United States congress or are contrary to the best
18 interests of the state of Wyoming, its local governments and
19 the property rights of its citizens.
20
21 Section 3. There is appropriated from the legislative
22 government royalty impact assistance account to the
23 governor's office seven hundred fifty thousand dollars
24 ($750,000.00) to implement the purposes of this act.
25
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1 Section 4.
2
3 (a) The governor shall report to the joint
4 appropriations interim committee not later than December 1,
5 of each year:
6
7 (i) All actions taken pursuant to W.S. 9-4-218;
8
9 (ii) All expenditures from the federal natural
10 resource policy account;
11
12 (iii) The purpose of each expenditure.
13
14 Section 5. This act is effective July 1, 1999.
15
16 (END)
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