House Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources (03/13/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:	03/13/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:41 PM to 06:39 PM	Gallegos	X
		Gardner	X
Place:	LSB A	Harvey	X
		Hodge	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Hoppe	E
	Representative Curry	McFadyen	*
		Rose	*
This Report was prepared by		Solano	X
	David Beaujon	White	X
		McKinley	X
		Curry	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB06-075 SB06-114		Postponed Indefinitely Witness Testimony Only

01:42 PM -- Senate Bill 06-075

Representative Todd, sponsor, described the provisions of the bill concerning luring wildlife in urban areas. She also described problems with coyotes that have become habituated to humans due to feeding.

The following persons testified on the bill:

01:44 PM -- Peggy Sundstrom, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill and described wildlife problems near her home.

01:48 PM -- Rigo Neira, Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies, spoke in support of the bill and described problems associated with wildlife in urban areas. He also responded to questions from the committee about enforcement of the bill's provisions.

02:03 PM -- Jen Boulton, Colorado Audubon, spoke in support of the bill and explained that a similar law prevents luring and feeding bears.

02:05 PM -- Naomi Ashcroft, representing herself, described wildlife near her home and spoke in opposition to the bill.

02:08 PM

Representative Todd closed her remarks on the bill.


BILL:	SB06-075
TIME:	02:08:53 PM
MOVED:	Hodge
MOTION:	Moved to refer SB 06-075, without amendment, to the Committee of the Whole. A substitute motion was made to postpone indefinitely that passed. See following roll call.
SECONDED:	Solano
		VOTE
	Gallegos
	Gardner
	Harvey
	Hodge
	Hoppe	Excused
	McFadyen
	Rose
	Solano
	White
	McKinley
	Curry
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE


BILL:	SB06-075
TIME:	02:10:27 PM
MOVED:	Gardner
MOTION:	Moved a substitute motion to postpone indefinitely SB 06-075. The motion passed on a vote of 7-3.
SECONDED:	Rose
		VOTE
	Gallegos	No
	Gardner	Yes
	Harvey	Yes
	Hodge	No
	Hoppe	Excused
	McFadyen	Yes
	Rose	Yes
	Solano	No
	White	Yes
	McKinley	Yes
	Curry	Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 3 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:13 PM -- Senate Bill 06-114

Representative Gardner, sponsor, described the provisions of SB 06-114 that allows additional technologies to be used to control odor from housed commercial swine feeding operations. He explained that the bill amends a law that was approved by the Colorado voters in 1998, commonly known as Amendment 14.

The following persons testified on the bill:

02:19 PM -- Jill Cooper, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), described the department's water quality and air quality regulations for housed commercial swine feeding operations. She also testified in support of the bill and responded to questions from the committee concerning stake holder involvement in drafting the bill. She also identified elements of an operation that can contribute to odor problems including barns, lagoons, and land application of animal waste.

02:44 PM -- Phyllis Woodford, CDPHE, described the water quality and air quality regulations for housed commercial swine feeding operations. She also described the reporting requirements for regulated operations and the complaint investigation process.

02:52 PM -- Brian Martin, Heritage Farms, described problems with synthetic covers for waste lagoons for swine feeding operations (Attachment A) and spoke in support of the bill. He also described enforcement of the Amendment 14 regulations by the CDPHE and responded to questions from the committee.

03:09 PM -- Dr. Michael Veenhuizen, Colorado Livestock Association, spoke in support of the bill and described technologies available to control odor emissions from waste lagoons (Attachment B). He described problems with synthetic lagoon covers and compared Colorado's regulations with other states. He also responded to questions from the committee.

03:30 PM -- Don Owens, Seaboard Foods, spoke in support of the bill and described delays by the CDPHE in considering his operation's request for a permit amendment (Attachment C).

03:40 PM -- Jose Rojas, Murphy-Brown, spoke in support of the bill and described odor control measures used by his company (Attachment D). He also responded to questions from the committee.

03:46 PM

The committee recessed.

03:52 PM -- Dave Carter, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill and described public support for the regulation of swine feeding operations. He also responded to questions from the committee regarding odor control.

04:03 PM -- Sue Jarret, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill and described prior legislation pertaining to swine feeding operations (Attachment E and F). She also identified new technologies that measure odor and expressed concern about amending the law prior to completion of a Colorado State University concerning swine feeding operations.

04:20 PM -- Ms. Woodford returned to respond to questions from the committee regarding pending permit applications for swine confined feeding operations.

04:37 PM -- Kathy Martin, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, spoke in opposition to the bill and described the odor control benefits of covers for swine feeding operation lagoons.

04:57 PM -- Frank Wallace, Bent County Commissioner, spoke in support of the bill and expressed concern that current law deters hog farms from expanding.

05:01 PM -- Lynden Gill, Bent County Commissioner, spoke in support of the bill and described the economic benefits from hog farms.

05:04 PM -- Bill Long, Bent County Commissioner, also representing the City of Las Animas, spoke in support of the bill.

05:06 PM -- Ms. Woodford returned to answer questions from the committee regarding uncovered swine lagoons in Colorado.

05:13 PM -- John Stencel, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, spoke in opposition to the bill and explained that the number of hogs in Colorado have increased since passage of Amendment 14 (Attachment G). He also responded to questions from the committee regarding enforcement of the Amendment 14 regulations.

05:23 PM -- Susan Roll, Phillips County Commissioner, spoke in support of the bill. She also described hog farms in Phillips County and the economic benefits provided by these operations.

05:28 PM -- Doug Melcher, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill and described enforcement of the Amendment 14 regulations.

05:43 PM -- Kurt Purkeypite, Heritage Farms, spoke in support of the bill and read letters of support from Rod Brown, Kiowa County Commissioner and Leroy Mauch, Prowers County Commissioner (Attachments H, I, and J).

05:47 PM -- Elwin Poe, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, spoke in opposition to the bill (Attachment K).

05:54 PM -- Mike Poe, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill (Attachment L).

06:00 PM -- Ronnie Oestman, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill.

06:01 PM -- Chuck Holum, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, spoke in opposition to the bill.

06:08 PM -- Loren Hendrix, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill.

06:09 PM -- John Grushaus, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill.

06:12 PM -- Jen Boulton, Colorado Audubon, spoke in opposition to the bill and described the impact of open lagoons on wild bird populations.

06:27 PM -- Garin Bray, Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke in support of the bill.

06:33 PM -- Ms. Woodford closed her remarks on the bill.

06:36 PM

Representative Gardner closed his remarks and the bill. Additional testimony will be provided at the March 20 meeting from Colorado State University's study concerning swine feeding operations.

06:38 PM

The meeting adjourned.