S_AGR_2018A 04/19/2018 01:31:52 PM Committee Summary

Dan Pinzlow, Chair of the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee and Manager of the Division of Parks and Wildlife Southeast Region, introduced the Governor's appointment to the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee [Attachment A].

Patricia Dorsey of Bayfield, reappointed for a term expiring December 31, 2021, and as a representative of the Division of Parks and Wildlife who is also a wildlife biologist, discussed her experience and interest in serving another term on the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee.

Geral Justin Fedinec of Craig, reappointed for a term expiring July 1, 2018, to serve a coal mine owner, operator, manager, or other mine official actively engaged in surface mining, discussed his experience and interest in serving another term on the board.

Michael Gregg McFarland of Dolores, reappointed for a term expiring July 1, 2021, and to serve as a coal mine owner, operator, manager, or other mine official actively engaged in underground mining, discussed his experience and interest in serving another term on the board.

Amber King, Colorado Tourism Office, introduced the Governor's appointment to the Colorado Tourism Office Board of Directors [Attachment C].

Douglas P. Price of Colorado Springs, appointed for a term expiring June 1, 2018, and to serve as a representative of thedestination marketing industry, discussed his experience and interest in serving on the board.

Peter Jon Piccolo of Denver, appointed for a term expiring June 1, 2020, and to serve as a representative of tourism-related retail industry, small community, and small business, discussed his experience and interest in serving on the board.

Courtney Lee Frazier of Parker, reapointed for a term expiring June 1, 2021, and to serve as an at large member from tourismbased industries, and from a small community, discussed her experience and interest in serving another term on the board.

The committee returned from recess.  Senator Fenberg, prime sponsor, discussed the provisions of House Bill 18-1157 concerning reporting requirements for oil and gas incidents.  He also distributed oil and gas accident reports from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission [Attachments D and E].  The bill increases the information that oil and gas operators are required to report for all minor and major reportable events.  Such events include the unauthorized release of oil, produced water, oilfield chemicals, or exploration or production waste, the  flaring or venting of gases or other uncontrolled releases, and worker injury or death.  Regardless of the location of the event, oil and gas operators are required to report each major and minor occurrence.  The bill specifies the types of incidents that constitute both a major and minor reportable event.  For each event, the notification must include an immediate oral report submitted to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), and a complete written report submitted within five days to the commission's  website, and using the commission's reportable event form.  The bill specifies the detailed data that operators must report for each event.  The COGCC is required to make all notifications and reports publicly available on its website in a database that is searchable by operator, location, type of event, date, and other criteria established by rule.  The website must also include a summary report of major and minor reportable events.

Connie Beach, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.

Joan Stearns, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.

Jean Lim, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill and distributed a handout that shows the number of homes near proposed oil and gas well pads in Broomfield [Attachment F]. She also responded to questions from the committee about recent oil and gas spills and accidents in Colorado.

Jim Martin, Colorado Petroleum Council, spoke in opposition to the bill and discussed the current COGCC regulations concerning reporting of oil and gas spills and accidents.  He also responded to questons from the committee about potential amendments to the bill and the reason for the Colorado Petroleum Council's opposition to the bill.

Laura Sellers, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill.

John Dulles, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill and expressed concern about proposed oil and gas wells in or near his community.

Sophia Guerrero Murphy, Conservation Colorado, spoke in support of the bill and expressed concern about oil and gas development in or near residential communities in Colorado.

Doug Vilsak, Legislative Liaison for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, spoke in support of the bill.

Scott Prestidge, Colorado Oil and Gas Association, spoke in opposition to the bill and distributed a copy of his testimony [Attachment G] and table that compares the COGCC's current report requirements and the requirements in House Bill 18-1157 [Attachment H].  He also responded to questions from the committee about potential amendments to the bill and accident information reported by oil and gas operators.

Sara Loflin, Director, League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans (LOGIC), spoke in support of the bill and expressed concern about oil and gas development near residences.

The chair announced that the sponsor of House Bill18-1295 was presenting another bill in another committee, and that the bill would be considered by the committee without the precesence of the sponsor.  This bill establishes that food and cosmetics are not adulterated just because they contain industrial hemp.  It also removes the term "cannabis" from the list of substances whose inclusion in a drug or device is deemed misbranded in the Colorado Food and Drug Act.  There was no testimony on the bill.

The committee recessed.