Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources (03/11/2010)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:	03/11/2010	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:32 PM to 01:55 PM	Brophy	*
		Gibbs	*
Place:	SCR 353	Harvey	*
		Kester	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Schwartz	X
	Senator Hodge	Whitehead	X
		Hodge	X
This Report was prepared by
	David Beaujon
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Conf 10-Water Resources and Power Development Authority Conf 10-Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund Board SB10-074		Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Postponed Indefinitely

01:32 PM -- Confirmation of Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority Board of Directors

Don C. Carlson — of Loveland, appointed to fill a vacancy for a term that expires October 1, 2012, and to serve as a representative of the South Platte Drainage Basin, and as a representative of water project financing, — explained that he is the Assistant General Manager for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and described his experience and interest in serving on the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority Board of Directors. He also responded to questions from the committee about the need for new water projects to address Colorado's growing demand for water.


BILL:	Conf 10-Water Resources and Power Development Authority
TIME:	01:36:46 PM
MOVED:	Whitehead
MOTION:	Moved to favorably recommend to the full Senate, Don C. Carlson, appointed for a term expiring October 1, 2012, to serve as a member of the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority Board of Directors. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 7 to 0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Gibbs	Yes
	Harvey	Yes
	Kester	Yes
	Schwartz	Yes
	Whitehead	Yes
	Hodge	Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:37 PM -- Confirmation of State Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund

Heather L. Carroll — of Colorado Springs, a Democrat and resident of the 5th Congressional District, appointed for a term expiring April 15, 2013 — described her experience and interest in serving on the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund Board, commonly known as the GOCOBoard.

01:39 PM

Christian K. Meyer — of Erie, a Republican and resident of the 2nd Congressional District, appointed for a term expiring April 15, 2013 — described his experience and interest in serving on the GOCO Board of Directors.

01:39 PM

Norma V. Anderson — of Lakewood, a Republican and a resident of the 7th Congressional District, reappointed for a term expiring April 15, 2011 — explained that she is the Chair of GOCO Board of Directors and a former Colorado state legislator. She also described her experience and interest in serving on the GOCO Board of Directors.

01:41 PM

James S. Lochhead — of Glenwood Springs, a Democrat and resident of the 3rd Congressional District, appointed for a term expiring April 15, 2013 — described his experience and interest in serving on the GOCO Board of Directors.

01:41 PM

Timothy P. Daly — of Evergreen, a Democrat and resident of the 6th Congressional District, appointed for a term expiring April 15, 2013 — described his experience and interest in serving on the GOCO Board of Directors.

01:42 PM

The appointees responded to questions from the committee about the use of GOCO moneys from lottery revenue to purchase property and to pay for maintenance of lands purchased with these moneys, and other issues.


BILL:	Conf 10-Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund Board
TIME:	01:48:33 PM
MOVED:	Kester
MOTION:	Moved to favorably recommend to the full Senate Norma V. Anderson, for a term expiring April 15, 2011, and for terms expiring April 15, 2013, Christian K. Meyer, James S. Lochhead, Heather L. Carroll, Timothy P. Daly, to serve as a member of the State Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 7 to 0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Gibbs	Yes
	Harvey	Yes
	Kester	Yes
	Schwartz	Yes
	Whitehead	Yes
	Hodge	Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:49 PM

The committee recessed.

01:53 PM -- Senate Bill 10-074

Senator Penry, prime sponsor, explained that Senate Bill 10-074 was drafted to encourage investor-owned electric utilities to use natural gas and help stabilize electricity rates. He requested that the bill be postponed indefinitely. This bill allows a utility's long-term, natural gas supply contract to be counted as a capital cost on which the utility may make a prescribed rate of return through customer charges. The bill directs the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, on or before July 1, 2010, to convene a rulemaking proceeding allowing investor-owned electric utilities to capitalize such costs, but specifies that the amount of such capital costs may not exceed the amount approved for the Comanche III coal-fired plant.

There was no testimony.


BILL:	SB10-074
TIME:	01:54:38 PM
MOVED:	Brophy
MOTION:	Moved to postpone indefinitely Senate Bill 10-074. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 6 to 0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Gibbs	Yes
	Harvey	Excused
	Kester	Yes
	Schwartz	Yes
	Whitehead	Yes
	Hodge	Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:54 PM

The meeting adjourned.