presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance |
Agenda 2016 Session Highlights Budget Water Policy State Parks BP Upcoming Events Opportunities and Resources
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | Session information Legislature Website: Regular Session Convened: Tuesday February 2 nd Adjourned: May 4 Possible Special Session: Prisons and/or Medicaid legislature-2016-things-undone/ / Rivers of Alabama Day Rivers of Alabama Day: Tuesday April 12th
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | Rivers of Alabama Day – Tuesday April 12
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | Budget “Live within their means” Budget chairs: Sen Trip Pittman (R-Montrose), Rep. Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) $154 M budget comprised of Trust Funds, EPA grants, and Permit Fees (Budget hearing Feb. 3 rd ) 2015 budget essentially eliminated General Fund contributions 2016 Maintained low contributions from General Fund $400K allocated for CAFO (only industry being subsidized) Going Forward: Advocate for restoration of General Fund $ State Parks Constitutional Amendment for State Park Funding
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | Water Policy Water Committee: March 15, 2016 Water Resources Assessments 2016 budget: $750K (down from $1M) Projected Completion: January 2017 – no real interface with AWAWG Focus Panels SB367
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | State Parks – SB260 “calls for a vote on a constitutional amendment to protect state parks’ funding. If voters approve this constitutional amendment in November it will put an end to the practice of administrative transfers, which the legislature used in the past to take money earned by state parks and move it to the General Fund to be spent elsewhere.” Alaparks.com
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | BP “Alabama lawmakers face a decision on how the state should use a $1 billion settlement with BP for economic damages from the 2010 oil spill.” billion_dollar_question_how_sh.html Roads, Medicaid, ETF dept? Environment? Al.com
Upcoming Events Alabama Water Rally – Friday, May 19: Mobile National River Rally – May 19 – 23 #DefendRivers Paddle – Saturday July 9: Montgomery presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | Al.com visittheusa.com
presented by Mitch Reid | Program Director | Alabama Rivers Alliance | Opportunities and Resources Connect: Facebook: Alabama.Rivers Follow the issues: Alabama Rivers Alliance ( Conservation Alabama ( Alabama Arise Citizens Policy Project Daily News Digest ( Find Your Legislature: Contact your legislator: