House Committee on Transportation & Energy (04/22/2010)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY

Date:	04/22/2010	ATTENDANCE

Time:	10:59 AM to 12:05 PM	Baumgardner	X
		Fischer	*
Place:	HCR 0107	King S.	X
		Looper	*
This Meeting was called to order by		McNulty	X
	Representative McFadyen	Merrifield	*
		Primavera	X
This Report was prepared by		Tyler	*
	Kurt Morrison	Vaad	E
		Frangas	E
		McFadyen	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB10-1282		Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

10:59 AM -- House Bill 10-1282

Representative McFadyen called the meeting to order. A quorum was present. Representative McFadyen laid over House Bill 10-1281 to a later date. Representatives King and Bradford, prime sponsors of House Bill 10-1282, discussed the merits of the bill. The bill would prohibit the closing of any coal-solar power plant, regardless of whether such closure has been approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

11:09 AM

Representatives King and Bradford responded to questions from committee members. Representative McFadyen announced that an official from the PUC will respond to technical questions from the committee members during witness testimony. Representative King discussed the impact of power plant closures on Grand Junction jobs.

11:20 AM

Representative Primavera asked Representative King to comment on the bill's required timeline for the proposed moratorium. Representative King discussed dates contained in the bill establishing the proposed moratorium. Copies of Amendment L.002 were provided to the committee (Attachment A). Amendment L.002 would change the bill's proposed moratorium date. Representative Merrifield asked Representative Bradford to comment on the bill's drafting and development.

11:28 AM

Representative McFadyen asked for witnesses to testify regarding the bill.

11:30 AM -- Mr. Don Elliman, representing the Governor's Office, testified regarding the bill. Mr. Elliman responded to questions from committee members.

11:36 AM -- Ms. Mikaela King, representing the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, testified in support of the bill. Ms. King responded to questions from committee members.

11:40 AM

Representative McFadyen announced that House Bill 10-1418 would be laid over to a later date.

11:45 AM -- Mayor Ken Henry, City of Grand Junction, testified regarding the bill. Mr. Henry discussed scientific data regarding plant closures. He further discussed the bill's impact on Grand Junction jobs. Mayor Henry responded to questions from committee members.

11:54 AM

Representative Fischer asked Mayor Henry to elaborate on earlier statements.

11:56 AM -- Mr. Gene Camp, representing the PUC, responded to questions from committee members.

12:03 PM

Representative McFadyen laid the bill over to a later date.

12:05 PM

The committee adjourned.