S_AGR_2023A 04/13/2023 06:16:04 PM Committee Summary

Senator Simpson and Senator Hansen, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-092. The bill commissions grants and studies to evaluate the use of agrivoltaics and aquavoltaics.

Mr. Jordan Beezley,
representing Colorado Department of Agriculture, testified to amend the
bill.  



Lily Shipman,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Karen Kalavity,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Duncan Gilchrist,
representing The Nature Conservancy, testified in support of the bill.

Brett Moore, representing
Interwest Energy Alliance, testified in support of the bill.  



Tyler Garrett,
representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in support of the
bill.  



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

Commissioner Kris
Holstrom, representing San Miguel County and Colorado Communities for Climate
Action, testified in support of the bill.



Mr. Byron Kominek,
representing Jack's Solar Garden, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Jan Rose,
representing Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate, testified in support
of the bill.



Mr. Kominek responded
to questions from the committee.

Senators Simpson and Hansen presented amendments L.001-L.007 (Attachments A-G).

Senator Jaquez Lewis, sponsor, and Senator Winter, presented Senate Bill 23-201.  The bill modifies the conditions necessary for the approval of forced pooling of oil and gas mineral interests.  Senator Winter provided a handout on forced pooling (Attachment I).  Senators Jaquez Lewis and Winter responded to questions from the committee.

Councilmember Jean
Lim, representing City and County of Broomfield, testified in support of
the bill.  



Nancy Rodgers,
representing City and County of Broomfield, testified in support of the
bill.  



Torie Jarvis,
representing Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Water Quality/Quantity
Committee and Colorado Municipal League, testified in support of the bill.
 



Mr. Kevin Chan,
representing Save The Aurora Reservoir, testified in support of the bill.
 



The panelists
responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Katherine Merlin,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Mr. Phil Barber,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Merlin and
Mr. Barber responded to questions from the committee.

Dan Haley, representing
Colorado Oil & Gas Association, testified in opposition to the bill.
 



Mr. Jim Cole,
representing Colorado Oil & Gas Association, testified in opposition
to the bill.  



Justin Prendergast,
representing American Petroleum Institute Colorado, testified in opposition
to the bill.  



Brett Moore, representing
Colorado Alliance of Mineral and Royalty Owners, testified in opposition
to the bill.  



Donald Phend,
representing Colorado Alliance of Mineral and Royalty Owners, testified
in opposition to the bill.  



The panelists
responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Austin Vincent,
representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in opposition to the bill.
 



Mr. Jim Magnuson,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.  



Mr. Jeffrey Moore,
representing City of Aurora, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mike Foote, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Jan Rose,
representing Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate, testified in support
of the bill.  



Mr. Foote responded
to questions from the committee.

Dr. Dar-Lon Chang,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Mayor Joan Peck,
representing City of Longmont, testified in support of the bill.



Alexis Schwartz,
representing Sierra Club of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.
 



Mr. Dale Rademacher,
representing City of Longmont, testified in support of the bill.



Mr. Rademacher
responded to questions from the committee.

Emily Baer, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Mr. Chris Klinke,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Kate Burke,
representing Boulder County, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Burke responded
to questions from the committee.

Dr. Lorretta Chavez,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Mr. Brian Matise,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Therese Gilbert,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  



Mimi Larsen, representing
the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, answered committee questions.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened. The chair laid the amended bill over for action at a later date.

Senator Priola and Senator Jaquez Lewis, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-266.  The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture to adopt rules classifying neonicotinoid pesticides as limited-use pesticides.  Senator Priola discussed amendment L.001 (Attachment M).  Senators Priola and Jaquez Lewis responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Ryan Riley, representing
Colorado Pest Control Association, testified in opposition to the bill.
 



Dr. Rebecca Larson,
representing Western Sugar Cooperative, testified to amend the bill.

Kreg Vollmer, representing
Western Sugar Cooperative, testified to amend the bill.  



Mrs. Erin Meschke,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill.  



Mr. Vollmer responded
to questions from the committee.

Mr. Danny Katz, representing
Colorado Public Interest Research Group, testified in support of the bill.
 



Natalie Woodland,
representing Environment Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  



Mr. Jordan Beezley,
representing Colorado Department of Agriculture, testified in support of
the bill.

Ms. Joyce Kennedy,
representing People and Pollinators Action Network, testified in support
of the bill.  



Ms. Karen Kalavity,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Senators Priola and Jaquez Lewis wrapped up their presentation of the bill. Committee members commented on the bill.

Senator Roberts and Senator Simpson, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-270. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a stream restoration project does not cause material injury to a vested water right, and outlines the qualification requirements for a stream restoration project.

Kelly Romero-Heaney,
representing Colorado Department of Natural Resources, testified in support
of the bill.  



Commissioner Richard
Elsner, representing Park County, testified in support of the bill and
responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Bill Wombacher,
representing Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority, East Cherry
Creek Valley Water and Sanitation District, United Water and Sanitation
District, and Legacy Water, Inc., testified to amend the bill.  



Travis Smith,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

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



Mr. Andrew Hill,
representing Denver Water, testified in support of the bill.  



Ms. Heather Dutton,
representing San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, testified in support
of the bill.

Bernadette Kuhn,
representing City of Fort Collins, testified in support of the bill.



Jen Boulton, representing
Trout Unlimited, testified in support of the bill.  



Abby Burk, representing
Audubon Rockies, testified in support of the bill.  



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

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



Bruce Whitehead,
representing Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy District, testified to amend
the bill.  



Mr. Austin Vincent,
representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified to amend the bill.

Commissioner Hilary
Cooper, representing Counties & Commissioners Acting Together and San
Miguel County, testified in support of the bill.  



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

Ms. Karen Kalavity,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Commissioner Kelly
McNicholas Kury, representing Pitkin County, testified in support of the
bill.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

Kyle Whitaker, representing
Northern Water, testified to amend the bill.  



Mr. Sean Cronin,
representing St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District, testified
in a neutral position on the bill.  



Dr. Luke Javernick,
representing River Science, testified to amend the bill.  



Mr. Joe Frank,
representing Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District , testified
to amend the bill.  



Mr. Jim Yahn,
representing North Sterling and Prewitt Reservoirs, testified to amend
the bill.  



Mr. Zane Kessler,
representing Colorado River District, testified to amend the bill.

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