Governor John Engler separated them. Governor Granholm brought them back together, and one of the first things our new governor did was split them apart again. Needless to say, long term employees of the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Natural Resources are used to seeing some changes around the office. Governor Granholm combined them to save money. So viewers wondered just how much is splitting them up going to cost taxpayers. The answer is the subject of this Fact Finder.

With Governor Snyder's signature on his very first executive order, the one-year old combined Department of Natural Resources and Environment is once again the DNR and the DEQ. You may remember Governor Granholm combined them into one department last January in a cost cutting move. The logic was to streamline the departments that seemingly overlapped; eliminate positions and some redundancy of services. Fast forward to today, and they are once again two separate departments. So just how much more is this latest separation going to cost us taxpayers? Great question, but one that is almost impossible to get a firm answer to. But multiple sources in Lansing confirm to me that not very much money was saved by the initial cut, and it won't cost very much money to split them apart again.

I wanted proof, dollar amounts, but the reality is the marriage between the DEQ and the DNR didn't even last a full budget year, few of the cost savings measures kicked in, and none had enough time before the divorce to really add up. The short marriage also means that these two departments were still essentially running as separate entities. The DNRE told me that they still have separate offices, their own vehicles, equipment, phones, copiers, you name it. To split them apart from a logistical manner, won't be costly, because they weren't together long enough to get combined stuff!

Now there will need to be a new director for both departments, a job formally handled by Rebecca Humphries. So the split will mean the addition of one extra director. According to Governor Snyder's office, the new DEQ director will make $145,000 next year, and will have what is described as a second small administrative staff not required when they were one department. That expense though maybe balanced by a dramatic drop in employees for both departments. 312 people have opted for early retirement from the DNRE meaning that in terms of payroll, the split will not cost anymore in 2011.

So what about the little things that may add up like road signs, car decals, letterheads, and brochures? According to the DNRE, those are replaced as needed, not when the department changed its name in the past or now. Bottom line, whatever says DNRE now, will most likely until its used or worn out and needs to replaced.

The Governor's split takes affect March 13, 2011.

So what do you think? Money well spent? Would like you to see a combined DNR DEQ? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.