s_agr_2016a_2016-04-28t13:33:16z3 Hearing Summary

Date: 04/28/2016

01:57 PM -- HB 16-1310



Senator Carroll, sponsor, presented House Bill 16-1310, concerning liability for the conduct of oil and gas operations. With regard to litigation or arbitration, current law requires that the owner of surface property rights demonstrate that an oil and gas operator's use of the surface land in mineral development "materially interfered" with the surface owner's use of the land. This bill amends this standard to allow the owner of surface rights to demonstrate that the operator's oil and gas operations harmed the surface owner's use of the land, caused bodily injury to the surface owner or any person residing on the property, or damaged the surface property.



The following persons testified on the bill:



02:00 PM -- Tracee Bentley, Executive Director, Colorado Petroleum Council and American Petroleum Institute, spoke in opposition to the bill.



02:03 PM -- Dave Neslin, Colorado Petroleum Council, spoke in opposition to the bill and distributed a chart regarding Colorado's underground injection program (Attachment D). Mr. Neslin responded to questions regarding the handout he distributed.



160428 AttachD.pdf



02:09 PM -- Brett Moore, National Association of Royalty Owners-Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



02:12 PM -- Dan O'Connell, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, spoke in opposition to the bill.



02:15 PM -- Lee Mickus, Colorado Civil Justice League, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



02:19 PM -- Jennifer Jones, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, spoke in opposition to the bill.



02:22 PM -- Jamie Jost, Colorado Oil and Gas Association, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



02:26 PM -- Brent Boydson, Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke in opposition to the bill.



02:29 PM -- Matt Lepore, Director, Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in the Department of Natural Resources, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



02:36 PM -- Richard Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in opposition of the bill.



02:37 PM -- Stan Dempsey, President, Colorado Petroleum Association, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



02:43 PM -- Rich Coolidge, Vital for Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill and distributed a letter in opposition from the chairman of Vital for Colorado (Attachment E).



160428 AttachE.pdf



02:46 PM -- Sara Loflin, League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans, spoke in support of the bill.



02:49 PM -- Becky Long, Conservation Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.



02:53 PM -- Wes Wilson, Be the Change, spoke in support of the bill.



02:56 PM -- Phillip Doe, Environmental Director, Be the Change, spoke in support of the bill.



03:01 PM -- Kristi Douglas, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.



03:05 PM -- Jason Warf, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill.



03:09 PM -- Greg Duran, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill.



03:11 PM



The chair closed the testimony phase, and Senator Carroll made concluding comments on the bill.