COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION

FISCAL NOTE

L.R. No.:         4825-01

Bill No.:          HB 2125

Subject:           Environmental Protection; Natural Resources Dept.; Licenses - Misc

Type:              Original

Date:               March 10, 2008

Bill Summary:            Creates laws relating to environmental permit coordination.

FISCAL SUMMARY

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 4 pages.

☐ Estimated Total Net Effect on All funds expected to exceed $100,000 savings or (cost).

☐ Estimated Net Effect on General Revenue Fund expected to exceed $100,000 (cost).

FISCAL ANALYSIS

ASSUMPTION

Officials from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) assume this proposal would allow DNR to process multiple permits for a given facility in an orderly manner that facilitates the planned work and efficiently processes the permits involved. For example a mining operation requiring air, water, and land reclamation permits would have the permits scheduled so the minor permits are scheduled consistently with the more critical permits, so neither the facility nor the public expend excessive time and effort on public meetings and review on individual permits when they can be combined. DNR will maintain at least the minimum public participation for each permit as required by law; processing permits closer together in time may allow the department to timely address multimedia issues that arise in public forums.

New procedures would be established over time as the concept of unifying permits is refined through implementation. DNR anticipates changes to permit processing to be assimilated into the permitting processes gradually for routine multiple-permit facilities and on a case-by-case basis for individual major facilities. DNR would not anticipate a fiscal impact from this proposal.

FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business

Yes. Small businesses requiring multiple permits will have the permitting process focused so all permits are processed in concert with each other, resulting in a more concise and efficient regulatory interface.

FISCAL DESCRIPTION

The proposed legislation appears to have no fiscal impact.

This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Department of Natural Resources

                                                                                                Mickey Wilson, CPA

                                                                                                Director

                                                                                                March 10, 2008