|
PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RURAL AFFAIRS & AGRICULTURE
| Date |
03/09/2020 |
| Attendance |
| Arndt |
X |
| Buentello |
X |
| Catlin |
X |
| Holtorf |
X |
| Pelton |
X |
| Titone |
X |
| Will |
* |
| Woodrow |
X |
| Young |
X |
| Valdez D. |
X |
| Roberts |
X |
|
| Time |
01:31:55 PM to 03:38:46 PM |
| Place |
LSB A |
| This Meeting was called to order by |
Representative Roberts |
| This Report was prepared by |
Jimmy Reed |
|
| Hearing Items |
Action Taken |
| hSB20-003 |
Referred to House Finance |
| hPresentation from the Colorado State Forest Service |
Committee Discussion Only |
| hSB20-155 |
Referred to the Committee of the Whole |
| hHB20-1327 |
Postponed Indefinitely |
|
|
|
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call |
| 01:34:32 PM |
Representative Roberts called the meeting
to order.
|
SB20-003 - Referred to House Finance
|
|
|
01:34:54 PM |
Representatives Will and Esgar, co-prime
sponsors, presented Senate Bill 20-003 to the committee. The bill
appropriates $6.0 million to the Department of Natural Resources to open
a new state park at Fishers Peak and improve infrastructure and amenities
at existing state parks. Representatives Esgar and Will responded
to committee questions and distributed a handout (Attachment A).
|
|
01:40:58 PM |
Luis Lopez, Las Animas County Commissioner,
read the testimony of Mayor Phil Rico of Trinidad in support of the bill
(Attachment B). Mr. Lopez testified in support of the bill. Aaron
Citron, representing The Nature Conservancy, testified in support of the
bill. Tony Hass, Las Animas County Commissioner, testified in support
of the bill. Steve Bonowski, representing the Colorado Mountain Club,
testified in support of the bill.
|
|
01:53:10 PM |
The panel responded to committee questions.
|
|
01:54:17 PM |
Felix Lopez, Las Animas County Commissioner, testified in
support of the bill. Doug Vilsack, representing the Colorado Department
of Natural Resources, testified in support of the bill. Scott Segerstrom,
representing the Colorado Youth Corps Association, testified in support
of the bill. Beau Kiklis, representing Conservation Colorado, testified
in support of the bill.
|
|
02:11:38 PM |
The panel responded to committee questions.
|
|
02:15:47 PM |
Rhiannon Scanlon, representing the Wilderness Society, testified in support of the bill.
|
|
02:18:04 PM |
Representatives Will and Esgar made concluding remarks. Committee members commented on the bill.
|
02:25:23 PM
|
Motion |
Refer Senate Bill 20-003 to the Committee on Finance. |
|
| Moved |
Will |
|
| Seconded |
Valdez D. |
|
|
|
|
|
Arndt |
Yes |
|
|
Buentello |
Yes |
|
|
Catlin |
Yes |
|
|
Holtorf |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton |
Yes |
|
|
Titone |
Yes |
|
|
Will |
Yes |
|
|
Woodrow |
Yes |
|
|
Young |
Yes |
|
|
Valdez D. |
Yes |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
Presentation from the Colorado State Forest Service - Committee Discussion Only
|
|
|
02:25:57 PM |
Mike Lester, Colorado State Forest Service, updated the committee on the health of Colorado's forests and distributed a handout (Attachment C). Mr. Lester discussed Colorado's recreation and tourism, forest health's impact on clean water and wildlife, forest management, wildfires and mitigation, insect and disease activity, funding, partnerships, and strategies for the future.
Attachment C
|
|
02:40:28 PM |
Steve Lohr, U.S. Forest Service, distributed a handout (Attachment D) and updated the committee on the Rocky Mountain Region forest health, including the Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative, wildfire activities, and timber harvesting.
|
|
02:53:14 PM |
Molly Pitts, Colorado Timber Association, updated the committee on forest issues, including wildfire threats, insects and disease, and current projects.
|
SB20-155 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole
|
|
|
03:01:11 PM |
Representative Pelton, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 20-155 to the committee. The bill maintains the presumption of noninjury to other water rights for a water well that is located on land that is divided into multiple parcels. Representative Pelton responded to committee questions.
|
|
03:04:32 PM |
Representative Pelton made concluding remarks.
|
03:07:00 PM
|
Motion |
Refer Senate Bill 20-155 to the Committee of the Whole. |
|
| Moved |
Pelton |
|
| Seconded |
Arndt |
|
|
|
|
|
Arndt |
Yes |
|
|
Buentello |
Yes |
|
|
Catlin |
Yes |
|
|
Holtorf |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton |
Yes |
|
|
Titone |
Yes |
|
|
Will |
Yes |
|
|
Woodrow |
Yes |
|
|
Young |
Yes |
|
|
Valdez D. |
Yes |
|
|
Roberts |
Excused |
|
|
Final |
YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
HB20-1327 - Postponed Indefinitely
|
|
|
03:07:06 PM |
Representatives Valdez D. and Will, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 20-1327 to the committee. The bill prohibits state agencies from authorizing or assisting with projects that divert water from the Rio Grande basin unless it is demonstrated that the project will not cause adverse affects in the basin. Representatives Valdez D. and Will responded to committee questions.
|
|
03:14:58 PM |
Kevin Kinnear, representing Colorado Water Congress and Renewable Water Resources, testified in opposition to the bill. Chris Piper, representing Denver Water and Northern Water, testified in opposition to the bill. Zane Kessler, representing the Colorado River District, testified in opposition to the bill. The panel responded to committee questions.
|
|
03:31:24 PM |
Representatives Valdez D. and Will made concluding remarks. Committee members commented on the bill.
|
03:38:15 PM
|
Motion |
Postpone House Bill 20-1327 indefinitely. |
|
| Moved |
Valdez D. |
|
| Seconded |
Pelton |
|
|
|
|
|
Arndt |
Yes |
|
|
Buentello |
Yes |
|
|
Catlin |
Yes |
|
|
Holtorf |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton |
Yes |
|
|
Titone |
Excused |
|
|
Will |
Yes |
|
|
Woodrow |
Yes |
|
|
Young |
Yes |
|
|
Valdez D. |
No |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 9 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
| 03:38:46 PM |
The committee adjourned. |
