Division of Watercraft FY10-11 including Scenic Rivers Program Transfer

1. Division of Watercraft FY10-11 including Scenic Rivers Program Transfer Presented by: Pamela Dillon, Chief Ohio DNR Division of Watercraft pam.dillon@dnr.state.oh.us

2. 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

3. 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

4. Purpose • To introduce you to the State Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers program • To give an overview of the program’s relevance to Ohio’s Boating community • To share financial plans for sustained support of the program within the Division of Watercraft

5. 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

6. Why Watercraft? • Our Mission: • Our Vision: To provide the finest boating services, facilities, protection, and education for users of Ohio’s 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 Ohio’s waterways.

7. Ohio’s Scenic Rivers Legislation • Passed the Scenic Rivers Act in 1968 • First in the nation • Created a state program to protect Ohio’s high-quality streams for future generations

8. Scenic Rivers in Ohio • 20 segments of 14 rivers • 800 river miles • Approximately 4000 acres in protected corridors and access sites

9. 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.

10. “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

11. “Scenic” Designation • Free of impoundments • Shorelines or watersheds still largely primitive • Shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in places by roads.

12. “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

13. 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.

14. Removing Forested Corridors… • Increases erosion, runoff and sedimentation • Degrades water quality • Reduces natural diversity of aquatic community • Decreases fish spawning • Increases need for dredging

15. 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

16. Potential loss: river access public areas along these rivers protection for the state’s most pristine river systems that feed many of the state’s most popular boating lakes and reservoirs an opportunity to support the fastest-growing boating activity: Paddlesports No Scenic Rivers Program?

17. Canoe/Kayak Registration Trends

18. Ohio Boat Registration Trends

19. Shift in Registered Boat Types

20. 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)

21. 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 Ohio’s boating program • Advances Ohio’s Statewide Strategic Plan for Youth and Education in the Outdoors • Maintains established forested corridors, reducing erosion, runoff and sedimentation

22. 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

23. 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 Division’s mandate and will take staff resources to administer

24. 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

25. 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

26. User Pays/User Benefits

27. User Pays/User Benefits

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. What’s 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

32. Review of ORC Changes • Link to Sub. House Bill 1:www.legislature.state.oh.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

33. Next Steps • ODNR Director Sean Logan will present DNR budget on Thursday, March 12th at 9:30 AM. • Additional hearings will follow • For additional information, contact: pam.dillon@dnr.state.oh.us

34. 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@dnr.state.oh.us