Senate Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy (02/16/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES & ENERGY

Date:	02/16/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:33 PM to 03:28 PM	Brophy	X
		Entz	X
Place:	SCR 353	Groff	X
		Taylor	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Tochtrop	X
	Senator Isgar	Grossman	X
		Isgar	X
This Report was prepared by
	Geoff Johnson
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Conf 06-State Fair Board SB06-171 SB06-179		Recommended Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to Appropriations

01:34 PM

Vince Vigil, Pueblo, Chairman, Colorado State Fair Authority Board of Commissioners, spoke of his experiences on the Board. He commented on the shortening of the length of the Fair. He said that the State Fair currently has 19 employees.

01:37 PM -- Raeana Wadhams, Pueblo, commented on her experiences on the Board and on her support for agriculture.

01:38 PM -- Loren Whittemore, Rush, said that the State Fair deserves the state's support and that the Fair showcases the heritage of the state. He commented on the Fair's debt level.

01:43 PM -- Catherine Ross, Granby, commented on what she believes she can bring to the Board as a new appointee.

01:45 PM -- Sheldon Jones, Littleton, commented on his involvement with the Board administratively, and now as a Board member. He commented further on changes that have been made to financial procedures at the Fair.


BILL:	Conf 06-State Fair Board
TIME:	01:52:18 PM
MOVED:	Taylor
MOTION:	Moved that the confirmation of the five appointees to the State Fair Board of Commissioners be recommended to the full Senate. The motion passed 7-0-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Entz	Yes
	Groff	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Grossman	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:56 PM -- Senate Bill 06-171

Senator Johnson, prime sponsor, said that the bill moves authority of the State Board of Health regarding drinking water standards to the Water Quality Control Commission and solid waste authority to the Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission. He said that the bill places rule-making responsibility in the appropriate areas that have the technical expertise to conduct these activities.

02:02 PM -- Paul Frohardt, Water Quality Control Commission, supported the bill. He said the bill transfers authority, but does not change the substance of that authority. The bill addresses "biosolids fee setting" of the Commission, and authority over septic tanks is transferred to the Commission. He said that the bill transfers the state's drinking water program to the Commission and that these transfers should result in better coordination of these "protection activities."

02:09 PM -- Laura Davis, State Board of Health, supported the bill. She said that it will put the responsibilities where the expertise is.

02:13 PM -- Barbara Biggs, Colorado Water Congress, supported the bill.

02:16 PM -- Joe Schieffelin, Solid Waste Program Manager, commented on the positions which will implement these transferred activities.

02:20 PM -- Tom Morris, Office of Legislative Legal Services, commented on "Type 1 transfers."


BILL:	SB06-171
TIME:	02:24:15 PM
MOVED:	Entz
MOTION:	Moved to strike Section 27 of the bill and insert a July 1 effective date, and a safety clause. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Entz
	Groff
	Taylor
	Tochtrop
	Grossman
	Isgar
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB06-171
TIME:	02:25:05 PM
MOVED:	Entz
MOTION:	Moved that the bill, as amended, be referred to the Committee of the Whole, and placed on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed 7-0-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Entz	Yes
	Groff	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Grossman	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:27 PM

Recess.

02:33 PM -- Senate Bill 06-179

Senator Isgar, prime sponsor, commented on SB 06-179 which would create the Water Supply Reserve Account in the Severance Tax Trust Fund. He said that many entities do not have the ability to do feasibility studies and the environmental compliance activities necessary to develop water resources. He said that recommendations for funding activities under the bill will come through the water basins.

02:41 PM -- Melinda Kassen, Trout Unlimited, opposed the bill. She said that there are other ways to solve this problem. She said that the bill is not limited to small projects and feasibility projects.

02:56 PM

Senator Grossman commented on Referendum A. Melinda Kassen said that the bill is "a slow moving version of Referendum A."

02:58 PM -- Frank McNulty, Department of Natural Resources, supported the bill. He said that the bill will help bring forward the types of projects that the state needs. He said that there is a twenty percent gap in water resources that will be needed in the state between now and 2035. He said that flexibility was left in the bill intentionally regarding project sizes.

03:05 PM -- Julie McKenna, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, supported the bill.

03:09 PM -- Chris Treese, Colorado River Water Conservation District, supported the bill. He said that it is a logical step and will give the water roundtables purpose and resources.


BILL:	SB06-179
TIME:	03:13:22 PM
MOVED:	Isgar
MOTION:	Moved a prepared amendment to the bill, L.001 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Entz
	Groff
	Taylor
	Tochtrop
	Grossman
	Isgar
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB06-179
TIME:	03:16:27 PM
MOVED:	Isgar
MOTION:	Moved a prepared amendment to the bill L.002 (Attachment B.) The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Entz
	Groff
	Taylor
	Tochtrop
	Grossman
	Isgar
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB06-179
TIME:	03:20:36 PM
MOVED:	Isgar
MOTION:	Moved to insert the word "definitions - " on Page 2, line 5 of the bill. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Entz
	Groff
	Taylor
	Tochtrop
	Grossman
	Isgar
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB06-179
TIME:	03:20:55 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Moved to strike page 3, lines 21 and 22 of the bill. The motion failed 3-4-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	No
	Entz	No
	Groff	Yes
	Taylor	No
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Grossman	Yes
	Isgar	No
Not Final YES: 3 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	SB06-179
TIME:	03:25:50 PM
MOVED:	Isgar
MOTION:	Moved that the bill, as amended, be referred to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 4-3-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Entz	Yes
	Groff	No
	Taylor	Yes
	Tochtrop	No
	Grossman	No
	Isgar	Yes
Not Final YES: 4 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:28 PM

The committee adjourned.