SB 742 Highlights
Projected SB742 OHMVR Program
Budget: $75million/yr.
Budget
increase from current $62million/yr. to $75million/yr. comes from
increase
of green sticker fees and use fees at SVRAs
Projected Grant Funding: $25.5 million/yr.
Funds
that would be available for grants such as funds for county OHV parks
Forest
Service and BLM OHV recreation areas, etc.
There
is a $25 increase in the green sticker for a two year license. It will be $50 for two year license.
The Commission will have two more Governor Appointments for a total of 5 appointments meaning any Governor will have
control the Commission like Governors do on 95% of all other Commissions and Boards by virtue of his appointees.
The Commission will become advisory in nature (like other similar commissions in the state or Forest Service or BLM
Resource Advisory Councils). The Division will approve grants (FS and BLM also
have this executive branch fiscal authority) using new regulations and a scoring method will be developed by user stakeholder
groups. The Deputy Director will not be involved in the scoring.
There will be an appeals process to the Director of Parks if the applicant does not receive the grant. This will not hold up the majority of the other grants.
There is a 10-year sunset on the program.
With the fee increase the Grants Program
should increase to $25.5 million next year.
50% of all grant funds will go to operations and maintenance and trails
25% for Restoration projects.
20% to law enforcement. Of this 20%, 40% will go to local law enforcement,
30% to BLM
and 30% to USFS in non competitive grants.
5% will go to safety and education in separate programs.
Both O&M and restoration grant funds will roll over to their respective pot for the next year if they are not all
spent during the year. They will be available for spending the following year.
The bill does not touch or mention county in lieu funds that counties currently receive.
Concerning the $14 million remaining in the conservation and enforcement source account (CESA) for restoration projects,
40% of the funds will be used to complete necessary route designation and implementation on USFS and BLM lands.
The remaining restoration funds will be spent at the rate of $1.1 million per year for restoration projects through
the grants process. When these CESA funds are gone, the CESA account will disappear
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