93478BBC6CCF71088725899D007F5BC7 Hearing Summary

Senator Roberts and Senator Will, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-295 to the committee. The bill creates the Colorado River Drought Task Force, which is tasked with developing recommendations for legislation that will provide tools to address drought in the Colorado River Basin. The 15-member task force is comprised of representatives from state agencies, local governments, tribal representatives, water engineers, agricultural and environmental interests, and other stakeholders. The task force must submit a final report to the Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee by December 15, 2023, outlining all the recommendations that were considered and approved and a summary of the task force's work.

The committee recessed and reconvened. Senators Roberts and Will responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Zane Kessler,
representing Colorado River District, testified in support of the bill.
 



Mr.  Austin
Vincent, representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in support of the
bill.  



Commissioner Kathy
Chandler-Henry, representing Colorado River District, Northwest Colorado
Council of Governments Water Quality and Quantity Committee (QQ), and Eagle
County, testified in support of the bill.  



Mr. Paul Bruchez,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill.  



Mr. Vincent responded
to questions from the committee.

Aaron Citron, representing
The Nature Conservancy, testified in support of the bill.  



Commissioner Josh
Blanchard, representing QQ and Summit County, testified in support of the
bill.  



Travis Smith,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Smith
responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Jim Lochhead,
representing Denver Water, testified to amend the bill.  



Mr. Marshall Brown,
representing Aurora Water Department, testified to amend the bill.  



Mayor Nick Gradisar,
representing City of Pueblo, testified in opposition to the bill.  



Mr. Seth Clayton,
representing Board of Water Works of Pueblo, testified to amend the bill.
 



Mr. Lochhead and
Mr. Marshall responded to questions from the committee.

Brad Wind, representing
Northern Water, testified to amend the bill.  



Mr. Jim Broderick,
representing Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, testified
to amend the bill.  



Lisa Barbato,
representing Colorado Springs Utilities, testified to amend the bill.



Tyler Garrett,
representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified to amend the bill.
 



The panelists
responded to questions from the committee.

Kathleen Curry, representing
Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, Grand Valley Water Users Association,
and Ute Water Conservancy District testified to amend the bill.  



Ms. Lauren Ris,
representing Colorado Water Conservation Board, testified to amend the
bill.  



Chaffee County
Commissioner Greg Felt, representing themself, testified in opposition
to the bill.  



Ms. Ris responded
to questions from the committee.

Garin Vorthmann,
representing Southwestern Water Conservation District, read testimony from
Stephen Wolff.  



Mr. Bart Miller,
representing Western Resource Advocates, testified in support of the bill.
 



Mr. Jack Starr,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Callie Hendrickson,
representing White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts and Colorado
Cattlemen's Association, testified in a neutral position on the bill.  



April Long, representing
the City of Aspen and QQ, testified in support of the bill.

Senator Roberts discussed amendments L.001 (Attachment A), L.004 (Attachment B), L.007 (Attachment C), and L.008 (Attachment D). Committee members commented on the amendments.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

Senators Will and Roberts wrapped up their presentation of the bill. Committee members commented on the bill.