Senate Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Energy (03/12/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY

Date:	03/12/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:33 PM to 02:11 PM	Baumgardner	X
		Cooke	X
Place:	SCR 354	Donovan	X
		Garcia	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Guzman	X
	Senator Sonnenberg	Hodge	X
		Scott	X
This Report was prepared by		Roberts	X
	David Beaujon	Sonnenberg	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB15-198 SB15-199		Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar

01:33 PM -- SB 15-198

Senator Crowder, sponsor, described the provisions of Senate Bill 15-198 that expands the fallowing pilot program. He also distributed a handout that shows how the bill would amend Section 37-60-115, C.R.S. that authorized the fallowing pilot program (Attachment A). House Bill 13-1248 established a procedure for the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to approve up to 10 pilot projects that temporarily transfer agricultural water rights to municipal water users. An agricultural water rights owner can lease the agriculture water to a municipality for up to 3 out of 10 years, during which time the owner fallows the affected agricultural land. Senate Bill 15-198 expands the program to add leases for temporary agricultural, environmental, industrial, or recreational use. The bill also reduces the comment period for pilot project applications from 75 days to 60 days. Within 15 days after receiving a report from a conference between a pilot project applicant, the State Engineer, and objectors to the project, or within 30 days after the comment period ends if the CWCB does not receive any comments on an application, the State Engineer is required to make a determination on the issues of injury and compact compliance.

150312 AttachA.pdf

The following persons testified on the bill:

01:34 PM -- Garret Mauch, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill and discussed water he uses to irrigate his farm. He also identified potential agricultural water users who may be interested in leasing water.

01:37 PM -- Don McBee, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill and discussed water he uses to irrigate his farm. He also discussed the impact of permanent transfers of agricultural water rights to municipalities on rural communities.

01:40 PM -- Lynden Gill, Bent County Commissioner, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill and discussed a lease fallowing pilot project in the Lower Arkansas Valley in southeast Colorado.

01:45 PM -- Leah Martinsson, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill and discussed a lease fallowing pilot project in southeast Colorado that is sponsored by the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District. She also responded to questions from the committee about the CWCB's review of the lease fallowing applications.

01:55 PM

Testimony was closed on the bill. Senator Crowder closed his remarks on the bill and responded to questions from the committee about the bill.


BILL:	SB15-198
TIME:	01:57:34 PM
MOVED:	Baumgardner
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-198 to the Committee of the Whole, and with a recommendation that it be added to the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Cooke	Yes
	Donovan	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Guzman	Yes
	Hodge	Yes
	Scott	Yes
	Roberts	Yes
	Sonnenberg	Yes

Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:58 PM -- SB 15-199

Senator Sonnenberg, sponsor, described the provisions of Senate Bil 15-199 that continues funding for the Habitat Partnership Program. Under current law, 5 percent of the previous years' net sales of big game licenses used in the geographic areas represented by local habitat partnership committees are transferred from the Wildlife Cash Fund to the Habitat Partnership Cash Fund in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This transfer is set to repeal July 1, 2015. This bill extends the repeal date to July 1, 2023.

The following persons testified on the bill:

02:00 PM -- Bob Broscheid, Director, Division of Parks and Wildlife, spoke in support of the bill and explained how the Habitat Partnership Program helps reduce conflicts between big game animals and farmers and ranchers.

02:01 PM -- Steve Cassin, Chief Financial Officer, Division of Parks and Wildlife, announced that he was available to answer questions about the bill or the Habitat Partnership Program.

02:04 PM -- Terry Fankhauser, Colorado Cattlemen's Association, spoke in support of the bill.

02:07 PM -- Garin Vorthman, Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke in support of the bill and responded to questions from the committee about projects funded by the Habitat Partnership Program.

02:10 PM

Testimony was closed and Senator Sonnenberg closed his remarks on the bill.


BILL:	SB15-199
TIME:	02:10:56 PM
MOVED:	Sonnenberg
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-199 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Cooke	Yes
	Donovan	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Guzman	Yes
	Hodge	Yes
	Scott	Yes
	Roberts	Yes
	Sonnenberg	Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:11 PM

The committee adjourned.