House Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources (04/07/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:	04/07/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	11:46 AM to 12:29 PM	Gardner C.	X
		Hullinghorst	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Labuda	E
		Looper	X
This Meeting was called to order by		McKinley	X
	Representative Curry	McNulty	X
		Pace	*
This Report was prepared by		Solano	X
	Lauren Ris	Sonnenberg	X
		Tipton	X
		Vigil	X
		Fischer	X
		Curry	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB09-1330		Referred to Appropriations

11:47 AM -- House Bill 09-1330

Representative Curry, prime sponsor, presented HB 09-1330, concerning fees assessed on certain feeding operations under the "Colorado Water Quality Control Act." The bill increases fees for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and housed commercial swine feeding operations (HCSFOs) collected by the Department of Public Health and Environment'sWater Quality Division. Funds are used for permitting and oversight of these operations, and the division must annually report program information to the General Assembly. Currently these fees are credited to the Water Quality Control Fund.

The following individuals testified:

11:51 AM -- Phyllis Woodford, Program Manager for the Environmental Agriculture Program in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), spoke in support of the bill. She described the history, responsibilities, and activities of the program. Ms. Woodford explained why the fee increase was needed and how the proposed fee structure was developed. She answered questions from the committee.

12:07 PM

Ms. Woodford continued to answer questions from the committee about the structure of fees and how the Environmental Agricultural Program is funded.

12:14 PM -- Tom Wernsman, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He explained that he operates an unpermitted CAFO and discussed the services provided by the Environmental Agriculture Program that he finds valuable.

12:16 PM -- Gary Teague, representing himself as an operator of a livestock feeding operation in eastern Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed the need for the Environmental Agriculture Program and indicated that he was willing to support fees to continue the services provided by the program.

12:19 PM -- John Reid, Colorado Independent Cattle Growers Association, spoke in opposition to the bill. Mr. Reed indicated that his organization was not consulted in any of the discussions about the bill. He described how the fees will negatively impact small cattle operations. Mr. Reed answered questions from the committee.

12:23 PM -- Ivan Steinke, representing the Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Pork Producers Council, and Colorado Corn Growers Association, stated that all three organizations support the bill.

12:26 PM

Representative Curry provided closing comments. She discussed the need for the Environmental Agricultural Program and explained that the livestock market is driven by a variety of factors and that she does not expect the fees will result in increased prices for buyers.


BILL:	HB09-1330
TIME:	12:27:57 PM
MOVED:	Curry
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1330 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 7-5 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Solano
		VOTE
	Gardner C.	No
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	Labuda	Excused
	Looper	No
	McKinley	No
	McNulty	No
	Pace	Yes
	Solano	Yes
	Sonnenberg	No
	Tipton	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
	Fischer	Yes
	Curry	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:29 PM

The committee adjourned.