17-298. Expenditures from fund; purpose and amounts; annual report

A. Monies received pursuant to section 5-572 shall be spent as follows:

1. Five percent on public access, including maintenance and operation expenses.

2. Sixty percent on the identification, inventory, acquisition, protection and management, including maintenance and operations, of property with sensitive habitat. At least twenty percent of the monies available under this paragraph shall be spent to acquire property with sensitive habitat used by endangered, threatened and candidate species. Not more than twenty percent of the monies available under this paragraph may be spent on the operation and maintenance of the acquired property, including the acquired property's infrastructure. The commission may dispose of any lands acquired for use as habitat by an endangered, threatened or candidate species under this paragraph when the species no longer qualifies as an endangered, threatened or candidate species. The Arizona game and fish commission shall dispose of the land in a manner consistent with the preservation of the species of concern. The disposal may include conservation easements and fee simple transfers with associated instruments of protection. The commission shall follow the guidelines established pursuant to section 37-803 relating to the disposition of real property by a state agency. In addition, disposal shall include a written agreement between the commission and the purchaser requiring the purchaser to incorporate management actions to ensure proper maintenance of the species of concern. Management actions may include maintenance of habitat, selective control of nonnative species, maintenance of genetic viability, monitoring of populations and habitat, coordinating conservation activities, funding conservation actions and assessing conservation progress.

3. Fifteen percent on habitat evaluation or habitat protection.

4. Fifteen percent on urban wildlife and urban wildlife habitat programs.

5. Five percent on environmental education.

B. All monies earned as interest on monies received pursuant to section 5-572 shall be spent only in the percentages and for the purposes described in subsection A of this section or for costs of administering the Arizona game and fish commission heritage fund in such amounts as determined by the Arizona game and fish commission.

C. On or before December 31, the commission shall submit its annual report to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairmen of the senate and house of representatives committees on natural resources and agriculture, or their successor committees, and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state. The annual report shall include information on:

1. The amount of monies spent or encumbered in the fund during the preceding fiscal year and a summary of the projects, activities and expenditures relating to:

(a) Property acquisition, operation and maintenance.

(b) Identification, inventory, protection and management of sensitive habitat.

(c) Habitat evaluation and protection.

(d) Urban wildlife.

(e) Environmental education.

(f) Public access.

2. The number and location of parcels of property acquired during the preceding fiscal year.

3. For personal and real properties acquired with fund monies during the preceding fiscal year, the amount of property tax revenue paid to each taxing jurisdiction during the last full tax year prior to acquisition.

4. The amount of money spent from the fund during the preceding fiscal year for employee personal services.

5. The number of full-time employees employed in the preceding fiscal year in connection with property acquisition, including survey, appraisal and other related activities.

6. The total number of full-time employees employed in the preceding fiscal year for the programs listed in subsection A of this section.

7. A list of the grants awarded during the preceding fiscal year, including information on the recipients, purposes and amounts.