Date: 02/02/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1006

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
The motion passed without objection.
Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment C). The motion p
Adopt amendment L.005. The motion passed on a vote
Adopt amendment L.006. The motion passed on a vote
Refer House Bill 15-1006, as amended, to the Commi
PASS
PASS
PASS
PASS



01:34 PM -- HB 15-1006

Representative Coram, sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1006, an interim committee bill from the Water Resources Review Committee (WRRC), concerning the establishment of a grant program for the management of invasive phreatophytes. Representative Coram distributed a photographs to the committee (Attachment A) and provided the committee background on invasive phreatophytes. Invasive phreatophytes are deep-rooted plants, such as Tamarisk and Russian-Olive, that consume water from the water table of the layer of soil just above the water table. Tamarisk and other invasive phreatophytes consume water that would otherwise be available for native vegetation or for beneficial uses. The bill would establish a five-year grant program for the management of invasive phreatophytes. Representative Coram answered questions from the committee and discussion ensued regarding the bill.

150202 AttachA.pdf150202 AttachA.pdf

01:44 PM -- Rusty Lloyd, Tamarisk Coalition, testified remotely in support of the bill. Mr. Lloyd gave the committee information regarding invasive phreatophytes and the impact they have on water supply and water quality. Mr. Lloyd answered questions from the committee regarding the collaboration between the Tamarisk Coalition and the state to eradicate invasive phreatophytes and how the Tamarisk Coalition is funded. Copies of Mr. Lloyd's testimony were distributed to the committee (Attachment B).

150202 AttachB.pdf150202 AttachB.pdf

01:55 PM -- Avrie Waite, New Emerson Elementary School, testified remotely in support of the bill. Ms. Waite responded to questions from the committee regarding her school's program to help with the management of invasive phreatophytes.

01:59 PM -- Betsy Bair, Grand Junction Area of Commerce, testified remotely in support of the bill. Ms. Bair also explained the involvement of a fourth grade class at New Emerson Elementary in Grand Junction, Colorado.

02:01 PM -- Bonnie Petersen, Associated Governments of Northwestern Colorado, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:05 PM -- Elese Stone, New Emerson Elementary School, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:08 PM -- Isabella Koppenhafer, New Emerson Elementary School, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:10 PM -- Maddie Sites, New Emerson Elementary School, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:12 PM -- Marc Catlin, Montrose County, testified remotely in support of the bill. Mr. Catlin explained how eradicating invasive phreatophytes would return water to the rivers in the state, benefitting the state as a whole. Mr. Catlin explained that he took part in a recent project to remove phreatophytes from riparian areas and that community members should be involved in eradicating these types of plants.

02:18 PM -- Parker Hines, New Emerson Elementary School, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:20 PM -- Phyllis Norris, Mayor of Grand Junction, testified remotely in support of the bill. Ms. Norris explained the efforts already being made by the City of Grand Junction to eradicate cottonwood plants and noted that a grant program would expand those efforts.

02:23 PM -- Rose Pugliese, Chair of Mesa County Board of County Commissioners, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:25 PM -- Royce Bair, New Emerson Elementary School, testified remotely in support of the bill.

02:27 PM -- Stacy Beaugh, Executive Director, Tamarisk Coalition, testified remotely in support of the bill. Ms. Beaugh explained that rivers in riparian areas are important to the recreational economy of the state and invasive phreatophytes negatively effect the rivers. Ms. Beaugh described several programs that the Tamarisk Coalitions is involved in to eliminate phreatophytes, some of which encourage at-risk youth and other members of the community to get involved with the cause. She noted that a five-year program would be beneficial and would help amass the grant funding with other current funding.

02:33 PM -- Abby Burk, Auduban Rockies, Western Rivers Active Network, testified against the bill. Ms. Burk explained the benefits of phreatophyte species in riparin areas, including providing for certain species in those areas and stabilizing the environment. Ms. Burk noted some endangered riparian birds species that depend on phreatophytes for their habitats. Ms. Burk would support the bill with an amendment that would specify that only invasive non-native phreatophytes would be eradicated.

02:38 PM -- Nicholas Colglazier, Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in support of the bill. Committee discussion ensued on Amendment L.002 (Attachment C), referred to by Mr. Colglazier. The amendment provides that funding for the Phreatophyte Grant Program would come through the Severence Tax Operational Fund, rather than the General Fund. Mr. Colglazier explained why a statewide grant program would benefit the state and answered further questions from the committee.

150202 AttachC.pdf150202 AttachC.pdf

02:51 PM

Representative Coram answered further questions from the committee regarding the management of invasive phreatophytes, and Mr. Colglazier further described the importance of management programs to mitigate damage done by invasive phreatophytes.

02:55 PM -- Nancy Stocker, representing herself, testified against the bill. She explained that she would support the bill with an amendment specifying that non-native phreatophytes would be the focus of the management program. Ms. Stocker answered questions from the committee regarding native phreatophytes and whether or not those species should be more controlled. Representative Coram responded to concerns raised by Ms. Stocker.

03:01 PM -- Dick Jefferies, Colorado Trout Unlimited, testified against the bill as it is written. Mr. Jefferies expressed concerns with the definition of phreatophytes and the need to specify the type of invasive phreatophytes that the grant program will attempt to manage. Mr. Jefferies responded to questions from the committee regarding native phreatophytes versus non-native phreatophyte and the Invasive Phreatophyte Control Program within the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB).

03:08 PM -- Fred Raish, Colorado Weed Management Association, testified in support of the bill. He gave the committee his background and explained why it is important to manage invasive phreatophytes. .

03:13 PM -- Jana Rapetti, President Colorado Weed Management Association (CWMA), testified in support of the bill and explained the various efforts that the CWMA has made towards managing invasive phreatophytes. Ms. Rapetti read a statement from Tina Booton, President-elect of the CWMA.

03:16 PM -- Chris Treese, Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD), testified in support of the bill. Mr. Treese noted that CRWCD has been involved with the mitigation of invasive phreatophytes such as Russian-Olive and Tamarisk. Mr. Treese responded to questions from the committee regarding the structure of the grant program, how the grant would be funded, and the best way to implement the grant program.

03:26 PM -- Emily Brumit, Water Policy Analyst Colorado Water Congress (CWC), CWC State Affairs Committee, and Andy Jones, Colorado Water Congress, testified in support of the bill as drafted. Mr. Jones explained that the CWC found broad support for the bill. Mr. Jones also spoke in support of the bill on behalf of Central Water Conservancy District and the South Platte Water Conservancy District. Mr. Jones gave his reasons for the Central and South Platte Water Districts supporting the bill, specifically citing the recent House Bill 12-1278 study on the rising groundwater levels in those areas. Ms. Brumit and Mr. Jones answered questions from the committee.

03:31 PM -- Jen Boulton, Colorado Audubon Committee, spoke about the bill and explained that she would support the bill if it was amended to specify that only non-native phreatophyte species would be apart of the grant program. Ms. Boulton also noted that the bill is open to anyone who seeks to apply for a grant to eliminate phreatophytes rather than strictly professionals seeking to manage phreatophytes and discussed other amendments she would support. Ms. Boulton responded to questions from the committee.

03:36 PM -- Eric Lane, Director of Conservation Services, Colorado Department of Agriculture, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Lane explained some of the negative impacts that invasive phreatophytes, Tamarisk in particular. Mr. Lane also addressed some of the concerns raised in earlier testimony. Mr. Lane responded to questions from the committee concerning the Noxious Weed Act and how the Act applies to the grant program.

03:45 PM -- Maggy Christenssen, Aurora Utilities and the City of Aurora, testified in support of the bill.

03:46 PM -- Charles W. Sylvester, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Sylvester specifically referred to the damage done in the South Platte River Basin caused by invasive phreatophytes.

03:53 PM -- Robert Logenbaugh, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and explained his background working on phreatophyte mitigation in the Arkansas and South Platte River Basins. Mr. Logenbaugh also explained damage caused by invasive phreatophyte growth in the Republic River Basin and referenced the recent House Bill 12-1278 study regarding high groundwater levels and how it relates to the issue of invasive phreatophytes in the South Platte Basin.
BILL:HB15-1006
TIME: 04:00:06 PM
MOVED:Coram
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment C). The motion passed on a vote of 11-2.
SECONDED:Saine
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
Yes
Brown
Yes
Buck
Yes
Coram
Yes
Danielson
Yes
Dore
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
No
Mitsch Bush
No
Saine
Yes
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


Rep. KC Becker distributed amendment L.006 (Attachment D) and committee discussion ensued.

150202 AttachD.pdf150202 AttachD.pdf
BILL:HB15-1006
TIME: 04:12:29 PM
MOVED:Becker J.
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.006. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Lebsock
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
No
Brown
No
Buck
No
Coram
No
Danielson
Yes
Dore
No
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
No
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

The committee took a brief recess.

4:18 PM

The committee came back to order.

Representative Mitsch-Bush distributed Amendment L.005 (Attachment E), and committee discussion ensued. Jennifer Berman, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions from the committee regarding the amendment.

150202 AttachE.pdf150202 AttachE.pdf
BILL:HB15-1006
TIME: 04:23:17 PM
MOVED:Mitsch Bush
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.005. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Becker K.
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
No
Brown
No
Buck
No
Coram
No
Danielson
Yes
Dore
No
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
No
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS
BILL:HB15-1006
TIME: 04:30:53 PM
MOVED:Coram
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1006, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 13-0.
SECONDED:Becker J.
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
Yes
Brown
Yes
Buck
Yes
Coram
Yes
Danielson
Yes
Dore
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
Yes
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS