Date: 03/11/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB09-147

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-147 to the CommitteePASS



01:38 PM -- Senate Bill 09-147

Representative Priola, prime sponsor, presented SB 09-147 concerning the authorization of substitute water supply plans for the replacement of out of priority depletions caused by historic diversions from wells included in decreed augmentation plans entered by the water court for Water Division 1. The bill authorizes the State Engineer in the Division of Water Resources to approve substitute water supply plans for the replacement of out-of-priority depletions caused by pre-January 1, 2003, diversions from wells included in decreed augmentation plans. The bill repeals this authorization on July 1, 2018. Representative Priola distributed a packet of information (Attachment B).

090311AttachB.pdf

The following individuals testified:

01:40 PM --
Greg Hertzke, Central Colorado Water Conservation District, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the collaborative effort that led to this bill and listed a number of entities that worked on the bill and amendments. He stated that the Colorado Water Congress, the Northwest Council of Governments and Colorado Farmers Union support the bill. He answered questions from the committee.


01:49 PM --
Julie McKenna, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill. She explained how the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District worked with others on this issue. She explained that the intent of the bill was not to create a precedent.

01:50 PM --
Scott Cuthbertson, Department of Natural Resources and the Division of Water Resources, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed the flexibility that the bill would provide the Division of Water Resources and explained the division's involvement in working on the bill.

01:52 PM --
Chris Treese, Colorado River District, took a neutral position on the bill. He explained that the bill does not affect the western slope positively or negatively. He answered questions from the committee about how this neutral impact was calculated.

02:00 PM --
Brad Grasmick, legal council to the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, discussed the costs associated with using water in response to questions from the committee.

02:03 PM

The committee discussed the timing of depletions in reference to the depletions chart in Attachment B.


02:05 PM --
Becky Brooks, Colorado Corn Growers Association and Rio Grande Water Conservation District, spoke in favor of the bill and stated that both organizations support the bill.


02:06 PM --
Garin Vorthmann, Colorado Farm Bureau, stated that her organization supports the bill.


02:07 PM --
David Pettrocco, a farmer from Brighton, spoke in favor of the bill. He explained that the bill would help relieve some of the financial burden of farming.


BILL:SB09-147
TIME: 02:09:21 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-147 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Gardner C.
VOTE
Gardner C.
Yes
Hullinghorst
Yes
Labuda
Yes
Looper
Yes
McKinley
Excused
McNulty
Yes
Pace
Excused
Solano
Yes
Sonnenberg
Yes
Tipton
Yes
Vigil
Excused
Fischer
Yes
Curry
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




02:13 PM

The committee recessed.