Division of Watercraft FY1011 including Scenic Rivers Program Transfer

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Division of Watercraft FY10-11 including Scenic
Rivers Program Transfer

• Presented by
• Pamela Dillon, Chief
• Ohio DNR Division of Watercraft
• pam.dillon_at_dnr.state.oh.us

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FY 2010-11 Budget Overview

• Continued full funding of local Marine Patrol
  Grants, local Education Grants, Cooperative
  Boating Facility Grant Program, Recreational
  Harbor (Dredging) Program
• No registration fee increase
• New fees/increases being considered
• Waterways Conservation Fee (non-powered boats)
• Agent writing fee increase
• Titling fee increase

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Program Expansion

• Sub. House Bill 1 provides for the transfer of
  the State Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers
  Program to the Division of Watercraft
• Expands Division authorities to include an
  expanded conservation component in Watercraft
  program mandates

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Purpose

• To introduce you to the State Wild, Scenic, and
  Recreational Rivers program
• To give an overview of the programs relevance to
  Ohios Boating community
• To share financial plans for sustained support of
  the program within the Division of Watercraft

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Why are we discussing this?

• General Revenue Funds (GRF) will not be provided
  for the Scenic Rivers program beyond July 1,
  2009
• ODNR has proposed transfer of the program to the
  Division of Watercraft
• Funded by Waterways Safety Fund (WSF)
• License plate revenues would follow program
• New Waterways Conservation Fee

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Why Watercraft?

• Our Mission
• Our Vision

To provide the finest boating services,
facilities, protection, and education for users
of Ohios waterways through the innovative and
wise use of our resources.
A dedicated and skilled team of employees,
volunteers, and partners empowered to respond to
the needs and desires of the recreational boating
public while providing an environment that
ensures the highest quality boating experience
for all who use Ohios waterways.
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Ohios Scenic Rivers Legislation

• Passed the Scenic Rivers Act in 1968
• First in the nation
• Created a state program to protect Ohios
  high-quality streams for future generations

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Scenic Rivers in Ohio

• 20 segments of 14 rivers
• 800 river miles
• Approximately 4000 acres in protected corridors
  and access sites

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Scenic Rivers in Ohio

• Three designations Wild, Scenic, Recreational
• Declared by Director of Natural Resources
• Retain most of their natural characteristics at a
  time when many rivers reflect the negative
  impacts of human activities.

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Wild Designation

• Free of impoundments and generally inaccessible
  except by trail
• Watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive
  and waters unpolluted, representing vestiges of
  primitive America.
• Conneaut Creek Wild and Scenic River
• Grand Wild and Scenic River
• Little Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River

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Scenic Designation

• Free of impoundments
• Shorelines or watersheds still largely primitive
• Shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in
  places by roads.

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Recreational Designation

• Readily accessible by road or railroad
• May have some development along their shorelines
• May have undergone some impoundment or diversion
  in the past
• Maumee Scenic and Recreational River
• Stillwater/Greenville Creek Scenic and
  Recreational River

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4000 Acres of Land

• Remain in a natural state and provide low-impact
  public access points, beaches, and safe landing
  areas.
• Restoration of streamside forests is the single
  most important ingredient in maintaining the
  health of streams and rivers.

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Removing Forested Corridors

• Increases erosion, runoff and sedimentation
• Degrades water quality
• Reduces natural diversity of aquatic community
• Decreases fish spawning
• Increases need for dredging

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Current Scenic Rivers Program

• 7 full-time river managers/administrators
• 5 part-time Stream Quality Monitors
• Over 150 years of program experience
• Funded by state GRF and the Scenic Rivers
  License Plate fund.
• History of leveraging GRF into non-GRF grant
  support.
• Past 6-years Obtaining 3.50 in non-GRF for
  every 1.00 GRF

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No Scenic Rivers Program?

• Potential loss

• river access
• public areas along these rivers
• protection for the states most pristine river
  systems that feed many of the states most
  popular boating lakes and reservoirs
• an opportunity to support the fastest-growing
  boating activity Paddlesports

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Canoe/Kayak Registration Trends
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Ohio Boat Registration Trends
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Shift in Registered Boat Types
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To continue the SR program

• Requires a modest level of support
• 550,000, or
• 3 of Watercraft Operating Budget for FY10-11
  (from Waterways Safety Fund)

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Opportunities

• Serves the growing numbers of paddlers without
  significantly affecting our current level of
  service to all boaters
• Nurtures a new, passionate, constituent base for
  Ohios boating program
• Advances Ohios Statewide Strategic Plan for
  Youth and Education in the Outdoors
• Maintains established forested corridors,
  reducing erosion, runoff and sedimentation

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Opportunities

• Advances Strategic Plan for Boating in Ohio
  which states
• Develop new and maintain/upgrade existing boating
  access/facilities
• Improve water quality on boating waterways
• Promote the development of water trails
• Minimizes need for dredging downstream

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Voiced Concerns

• Gas tax money should go primarily to motor
  boating and not paddlesports.
• Potentially higher cost to Division than expected
• Landholdings not currently in Divisions mandate
  and will take staff resources to administer

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Non-gasoline Tax Revenues

• 80,640 registered canoes and kayaks generated
  543,740 to the WSF in CY08
• Scenic Rivers Protection Fund has historically
  provided 70,000 -130,000/year (plus interest)
• License Plate program will be marketed through
  the registration process to generate revenue
  through this option
• Proposed Waterways Conservation Fee on
  non-powered boats

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Waterways Conservation Fee

• Proposed for boats that do not pay Motor Vehicle
  Fuel Tax (i.e. non-powered) to begin with 2010
• 5.00 per three-year non-powered registration
• 1.50 per one-year livery boat registration

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User Pays/User Benefits
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User Pays/User Benefits
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Future Costs

• Sub. HB 1 includes a cap of 4 on the Waterways
  Safety Fund monies that support the program
  (1547.51)
• Based on annual WSF revenue
• Note Boating Safety Education Grant and Marine
  Patrol Grant programs each have a 10 cap

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Regarding Land Holdings

• Managed by current staff which transfer with the
  program (no additional staff needed)
• A vital component of the program
• ODNR owns land. Division will manage land
  primarily through agreements with local
  jurisdictions
• Except for boating access, any new land purchase
  will be made using non-WSF revenue

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Waterways Safety Council

• That the State Wild, Scenic and Recreational
  Rivers program be transferred from the Division
  of Natural Areas and Preserves to the Division of
  Watercraft, and
• A funding cap be established, not to exceed 4
  of monies accruing annually to the WSF.
• Carried and approved on 12/15/08

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Whats Next Legislation

• Sub. House Bill 1 and FY10-11 Executive Budget
  include
• Language drafted by ODNR
• Provides the authority for Division of Watercraft
• Maintains current Scenic Rivers Program mission
  and staff
• Provides for 4 cap on WSF expenditures

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Review of ORC Changes

• Link to Sub. House Bill 1www.legislature.state.o
  h.us House Bill 1
• Changes in Section 1517 affect Division of
  Natural Areas and Preserves (pp. 443-449)
• Changes in Section 1547 affect Division of
  Watercraft authority (pp. 475-510)
• Link to Executive Budget (pp. 732-758 is
  DNR)obm.ohio.gov Executive Budget Proposal

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Next Steps

• ODNR Director Sean Logan will present DNR budget
  on Thursday, March 12th at 930 AM.
• Additional hearings will follow
• For additional information, contact
• pam.dillon_at_dnr.state.oh.us

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Thank You!

• Webinars scheduled
• Monday, March 9, 2009 at 6 PM
• Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 6 PM
• For additional webinar information, contact
  janet.wolfinger_at_dnr.state.oh.us