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S.B. 251 makes two main changes to how the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) coordinates with local health departments. First, it removes an existing requirement that DEQ report annually to a legislative oversight committee about how its rules and policies affect local health departments. Second, it creates a formal process allowing local governments and local health departments to request reimbursement from DEQ — using money collected from environmental fines and civil penalties — when those entities incur significant, unexpected costs while helping DEQ carry out environmental enforcement activities; to qualify, they must submit supporting documentation, proof that DEQ requested their assistance, and timely written notice of the anticipated expense, with DEQ directed to create rules defining exactly what qualifies.