Joint Committee Committee on Joint Agriculture and Natural Resources (04/11/2012)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:	04/11/2012	ATTENDANCE

Time:	08:00 AM to 08:53 AM	Baumgardner	X
		Brophy	E
Place:	HCR 0107	Brown	E
		Carroll	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Coram	*
	Senator Schwartz	Fischer	X
		Giron	X
This Report was prepared by		Grantham	E
	Lauren Ris	Harvey	E
		Jones	E
		Looper	*
		McKinley	E
		Ryden	*
		Scott	E
		Tochtrop	E
		Vaad	*
		Vigil	*
		Wilson	*
		Sonnenberg	X
		Schwartz	*
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Briefing from CALPHO		Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

08:03 AM -- Briefing from CALPHO

Thomas Gonzales, El Paso county Public Health and Tom Butts, Tri-County Public Health Department, provided a presentation to the committee on Environmental Health in Colorado (Attachment A). They also distributed a list of contact information for each county's Environmental Health Directors (Attachment B).

08:28 AM

Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Butts responded to questions about air quality monitoring and whether sufficient resources exist to monitor effectively.

08:32 AM

Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Butts responded to a question about the exposure of oil and gas workers to hydraulic fracturing fluids and explained that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversees workplace safety. They also discussed the authority of county public health departments in developing and enforcing environmental health standards versus the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

08:39 AM

Mr. Butts explained how some local governments in Colorado have developed local policies relating to climate change. He also discussed how wood burning facilities are regulated, and what resources are available for air and water quality monitoring.

08:47 AM

Mr. Butts responded to a question about the involvement of county public health departments in the Governor's Oil and Gas Task Force.

08:49 AM

Mr. Gonzales responded to questions about the costs of food safety preparation classes.

08:51 AM

The committee adjourned.