HB1200
An Act For The Department Of Energy And Environment - Division Of Environmental Quality Appropriation For The 2025-2026 Fiscal Year.
AI-Generated Summary
This Arkansas House Bill 1200 outlines appropriations for the Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. The bill details specific allocations for personal services, operating expenses, and various programs administered by the division. It establishes maximum numbers of regular employees and authorizes "Extra Help" positions, alongside specifying salary rates for different job classifications. The appropriations are drawn from various funds, including state operations, federal funds, and dedicated program funds such as the Wastewater Licensing Fund and Hazardous Waste Permit Fund. The bill also includes provisions for land reclamation, abandoned mine reclamation, surface coal mining, and mining reclamation programs, as well as fee administration and solid waste performance bonds. It aims to fund the operational and programmatic needs of the Division of Environmental Quality for the designated fiscal year.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill, if enacted, would be the Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality itself, which would receive the allocated funds to cover its operational expenses and personnel costs. State employees within the department, including those in administrative, technical, legal, and programmatic roles, would benefit from continued employment and salary appropriations. Various state programs managed by the division, such as those related to wastewater licensing, land reclamation, hazardous waste permitting, and abandoned mine reclamation, would receive the necessary funding to continue their functions. Additionally, entities and individuals who interact with or are subject to environmental regulations overseen by the division might indirectly benefit from the department's continued operational capacity.
Who Might Suffer?
This bill, being an appropriation measure for a state agency, does not directly identify groups or entities that would be negatively impacted. However, if the appropriations are insufficient to meet the division's needs or if specific programs are underfunded relative to their mandates, then environmental quality and public health could be indirectly negatively impacted due to reduced enforcement, monitoring, or remediation activities. Industries or entities subject to environmental regulations might face increased scrutiny or be required to address environmental issues if the division's capacity to manage these areas is diminished due to funding constraints, though this bill itself does not impose new regulations or penalties.