Date: 02/27/2013

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB13-072

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 13-072 to the Committee of the WPASS



10:06 AM -- Senate Bill 13-072

Staff distributed a fact sheet on the bill from the Colorado Water Congress (Attachment A) and a memorandum from the Town of Bennett and Strasburg Sanitation and Water District (Attachment B).

130227 AttachA.pdf130227 AttachA.pdf130227 AttachB.pdf130227 AttachB.pdf

Representative Sonnenberg, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 13-072. This bill is recommended by the Water Resources Review Committee. It eliminates the requirement that the state engineer issue a final permit for any Denver Basin well that is in compliance with an existing conditional permit. The Denver Basin is a water-bearing geologic formation underlying the urban Front Range that is comprised of four distinct nonrenewable bedrock aquifers, the Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers. The basin is generally bounded by Colorado Springs on the south, Greeley on the north, the foothills on the west, and Limon on the east.

Under current law, the requirement for a final permit does not apply to wells permitted after July 1, 1991, that are withdrawing designated ground water from Denver Basin aquifers. Currently, there are approximately 50 wells in the Denver Basin with conditional permits that predate July 1, 1991. This bill eliminates the final permit requirement for all wells withdrawing ground water from Denver Basin aquifers.

10:07 AM -- Dick Brown and Rick Fendel, representing the Town of Bennet, Strasberg Sanitation and Water District, and the Colorado Water Congress, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Brown discussed water permitting processes. Mr. Fendel talked about the different legal systems for allocating groundwater in designated basins and how these systems have changed over time. He also highlighted some of the water demand and usage issues that have been affected by population growth. Mr. Fendel answered questions from the committee about changes made in 1992 that affected aquifers. He also answered questions from the committee regarding water tables and the allocation and finite nature of water existing in deeper, non-tributary aquifers. He continued to answer questions from the committee regarding the volume and potential for recharge of the Denver aquifer as well as specifics regarding the well permits referenced in the bill.

10:24 AM -- Kevin Rein, representing the State Engineer's Office, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Rein talked about the collaboration that occurred between Mr. Rein's office and Mr. Fendel's office to craft a solution for municipalities that are affected by the wells in question. Mr. Rein answered questions from the committee regarding the size of the Denver aquifer, the number of wells that may be affected by this bill, and the reasons behind why permits on the wells in question had not been finalized at an earlier date.

10:30 AM

Representative Sonnenberg wrapped up his presentation on the bill.

BILL:SB13-072
TIME: 10:30:56 AM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 13-072 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 9-1 with three members excused.
SECONDED:Buck
VOTE
Buck
Yes
Coram
Yes
Garcia
Excused
Lebsock
Yes
McLachlan
Yes
McNulty
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Rankin
Excused
Rosenthal
No
Saine
Excused
Sonnenberg
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Fischer
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 1 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




10:31 AM

The committee adjourned.