 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Special Session
appropriations; fire suppression.
Purpose
Appropriates monies from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2021 to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) for wildfire emergency response efforts and wildfire mitigation.
Background
DFFM is statutorily established to provide for land management and the prevention and suppression of wildland fires on state land and private property outside of the jurisdiction of a city or town. The Governor appoints the State Forester, who serves as the Director of DFFM and is responsible for the direction, operation and control of DFFM (A.R.S. § 37-1301).
S.B. 1001 appropriates $99,541,800 and 122 full time equivalent (FTE) positions from the state GF in FY 2021 to DFFM.
Provisions
Wildfire Emergency Response
1. Appropriates $75,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2021 to DFFM for wildfire emergency response efforts.
2. Authorizes DFFM to spend the appropriation for wildfire emergency response efforts for the following purposes:
a) fire suppression and pre-positioning of fire suppression equipment and staff;
b) capital expenditures and equipment associated with fire suppression and pre-positioning activities for fire suppression;
c) mitigation projects to address postfire flooding and other damage resulting from fires or fire suppression activities;
d) emergency liabilities of state and local government agencies related to emergency sheltering, wraparound services and support activities;
e) financial assistance to public and private landowners for emergency repairs to infrastructure damaged by fire or fire suppression activities; and
f) reimbursement to a state agency or political subdivision for eligible claim costs arising from a state or federal emergency or major disaster declaration.
3. Caps DFFM's use of the appropriation for wildfire emergency response for state capital expenditures and equipment associated with fire suppression and pre-positioning activities for fire suppression at $10,000,000.
4. Requires the appropriation for wildfire emergency response efforts to be used to supplement and not supplant any federal monies allocated for wildfire emergency response.
5. Directs DFFM to seek appropriate federal reimbursement for wildfire emergency response expenditures and requires any reimbursements to be credited to the appropriation.
6. Requires any portion of the appropriation for wildfire emergency response efforts that is distributed to landowners to be the payor of last resort after all other sources of payment, including any federal and insurance reimbursements, have been exhausted.
7. Requires DFFM, within 15 days of the end of each month, to report to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on the prior month's expenditures and reimbursements from the appropriation for wildfire emergency response efforts, and requires the report to include, at a minimum, information regarding total expenditures and reimbursements for each authorized category of spending and the amount of monies remaining in the appropriation.
8. Exempts the appropriation for wildfire emergency response efforts from lapsing.
Wildfire Mitigation
9. Appropriates $24,541,800 and 122 FTE positions from the state GF in FY 2021 to DFFM for wildfire mitigation for the following purposes:
a) $16,999,300 and 122 FTE positions for inmate firefighting crew supervisors and operating costs;
b) $3,910,000 for vehicle purchases;
c) $2,250,000 for contracted hazardous vegetation removal; and
d) $1,382,500 for vehicle operating costs.
10. Exempts the appropriation for wildfire mitigation from lapsing through June 30, 2022.
Miscellaneous
11. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor.
Prepared by Senate Research
June 15, 2021
KN