LANSING – A plan introduced by State Representative Mike Lahti (D-Hancock) appropriates for a combined Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) – cutting state spending by creating one entity called the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The plan, which passed the House on Thursday, could save up to $2 million.
"This is the first step toward a more efficient government," said Lahti, Chair of the Natural Resources House Appropriations Subcommittee. "This is a bare bones budget with some tough cuts, but it is a budget based on today's reality."
The DNR and DEQ were made into separate departments by former Governor John Engler in 1995, and Lahti said his subcommittee has been working to recombine them. The budget for the combined department would be $626 million.
"Combining these two agencies will allow for better communication and enforcement of laws that safeguard our air, land and water," Lahti said. "This move will streamline government and generate much-needed savings to help turn Michigan's economy around while protecting our great outdoors. Consolidating these two departments is in the best interest of the taxpayers and the environment."