Amounts obligated under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program for water infrastructure projects in state parks and making an appropriation. (FE)

The stewardship program consists of five subprograms. Current law establishes the amounts that DNR may obligate in each fiscal year through 2019-20 for expenditure under each of these subprograms. Prior to fiscal year 2011-12, if DNR did not obligate the full amount it was authorized to obligate in a fiscal year under a subprogram, DNR was required to adjust the annual bonding authority for that subprogram by raising the annual bonding authority for the next fiscal year by the amount unobligated in that given fiscal year. Beginning in fiscal year 2011-12, under current law, if DNR does not obligate an amount authorized to be obligated for a subprogram in a fiscal year, DNR may not adjust the annual bonding authority for that subprogram by raising the annual bonding authority for the next fiscal year.

Under current law, portions of the unobligated amounts for the land acquisition, property development and local assistance, and recreational boating aids subprograms from fiscal years 2011-12 to 2016-17 are obligated for specific purposes. For example, not more than $4,500,000 of the unobligated amount for these subprograms from fiscal year 2016-17 is obligated to fund critical health and safety-related water infrastructure projects and high-priority water infrastructure projects in state parks, prioritizing projects in those state parks with the highest demand. For this same purpose, the bill obligates up to $5,200,000 of the unobligated amount for these subprograms from fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18.

This bill increases the amount appropriated to DNR for state park operations by $300,000 in fiscal year 2018-19, with priority placed on state parks with the highest demand.