Date: 05/06/2013

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB13-273

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
The motion passed without objection.
Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment A). The motion p
Refer Senate Bill 13-273, as amended, to the Commi
Pass Without Objection
PASS



01:33 PM -- Senate Bill 13-273

Representative Hamner and Representative Coram, co-sponsors, presented Senate Bill 13-273. The reengrossed bill directs the Colorado Forest Service's (CSFS) to collaborate with federal agencies to facilitate the use of forest biomass as feedstock for timber mills; authorizes the CSFS to assist communities in high risk areas with their community wildfire protection plans; authorizes the Air Quality Control Commission to analyze equipment fueled by biomass for compliance with air emissions standards; and requires the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, when evaluating the use of biomass in electricity generation, to consider the contribution of this fuel source to wildfire risk mitigation. Staff distributed Amendment L.007 (Attachment A) to the committee. Committee discussed on the bill ensued.

130506 AttachA.pdf130506 AttachA.pdf

The following persons testified on the bill:

01:40 PM -- Michael Brod, Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Brod explained Section 6 of the reengrossed bill and the modification of the definition of forest health per the provisions of the bill.

01:42 PM -- Lisa Dale, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said the department was neutral on the bill. Ms. Dale explained the economic benefit of incentivizing the use of forest biomass materials to generate energy.

01:44 PM -- Phil Kasklik, Colorado Forest and Energy, spoke in support of the bill. He distributed a fact sheet on the bill to the committee (Attachment B). Mr. Kasklik talked about the benefits of biomass energy including the economic benefits experienced by communities involved in generating biomass energy. He answered questions from the committee regarding different types of biomass energy technologies, biomass energy incentive programs in other states, and different types of incentives.

130506 AttachB.pdf130506 AttachB.pdf

01:58 PM -- Ronal Larson, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Larson talked about the production of bio fuels, his background in renewable energy, and the benefits of generating biomass energy versus wind or solar energy. Mr. Larson answered questions from the committee regarding biochar.

02:03 PM -- John Covert, Colorado Harvesting Energy Network, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Covert described the importance of standardizing a business model through the renewable energy standard and the potential for the dairy industry to participate in biomass energy generation.

02:06 PM

Representative Coram explained amendment L.007 (Attachment A). Committee discussion ensued on the amendment.

BILL:SB13-273
TIME: 02:06:19 PM
MOVED:Coram
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Mitsch Bush
VOTE
Buck
Coram
Garcia
Lebsock
McLachlan
McNulty
Mitsch Bush
Rankin
Rosenthal
Saine
Sonnenberg
Vigil
Fischer
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

02:09 PM

Representative Hamner and Representative Coram closed their remarks on the bill. Committee discussion ensued regarding the bill.
BILL:SB13-273
TIME: 02:13:43 PM
MOVED:Coram
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 13-273, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 12-1.
SECONDED:Lebsock
VOTE
Buck
Yes
Coram
Yes
Garcia
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
McLachlan
Yes
McNulty
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Rankin
Yes
Rosenthal
Yes
Saine
Yes
Sonnenberg
No
Vigil
Yes
Fischer
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS