Date: 05/05/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB14-195

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 14-195 to the Committee on ApproPASS



01:33 PM -- SB 14-195

Representative Singer and Representative Sonnenberg, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 14-195. This bill, recommended by the Flood Disaster Study Committee, requires the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to commission a study to evaluate the growth and identification of phreatophytes in a portion of the watershed along the South Platte River affected by the September 2013 flood. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between high groundwater and nonbeneficial consumptive water use by phreatophytes, and to develop a cost analysis for removal of unwanted phreatophytes. The CWCB may contract with Colorado State University's (CSU) Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management Program to conduct the study. CSU will coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and weed management specialists from affected local governments. The CWCB is required to prepare and present a progress report to a joint meeting of the House and Senate Agriculture committees during the 2016 session, and a final report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2016. The study is repealed July 1, 2017. Committee discussion ensued on the bill.

Representative Fischer distributed a fact sheet regarding phreatophytes (Attachment A) and Amendment L.006 (Attachment B).

140505 AttachA.pdf140505 AttachA.pdf140505 AttachB.pdf140505 AttachB.pdf

The following persons testified on the bill.

01:46 PM -- Jen Bolton, The Audubon Society and Colorado Trout Unlimited, said the organizations she represents are neutral on the bill. Ms. Bolton discussed her concerns about the bill and the lack of distinction in the bill between native and non-native phreatophytes. She talked about changes that she would like to see made to the bill and responded to questions from the committee regarding these changes. Committee discussion ensued.

01:56 PM -- Tim Feehan, CWCB, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Feehan discussed CWCB's involvement in the drafting of the bill and the funding of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee regarding the Colorado Water Institute's involvement in the study that would be authorized by the bill.

02:01 PM -- Steve Sauer, Colorado Weed Management Association (CWMA), spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Sauer discussed the removal of Russian olive trees in Boulder county; flood impacts on Russian olive infestations; and the importance of the bill. Mr. Sauer responded to questions from the committee regarding native versus non-native phreatophytes; the management of phreatophytes; and the eradication of Russian olive trees.


02:09 PM

Committee discussion ensued on the bill and amendments.

02:19 PM

Representative Sonnenberg and Representative Singer closed their remarks on the bill.

02:23 PM

The committee took a brief recess.

02:25 PM

The committee returned to order.

BILL:SB14-195
TIME: 02:26:42 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 14-195 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 12-0.
SECONDED:Coram
VOTE
Becker
Yes
Buck
Yes
Coram
Yes
Garcia
Excused
Lebsock
Yes
McLachlan
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Rankin
Yes
Saine
Yes
Scott
Yes
Sonnenberg
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Fischer
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS