I_WMRC_2016A 08/15/2016 09:03:10 AM Committee Summary

09:03 AM -- Presentation by Colorado State Forest Service



Mike Lester, Director of Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), Madeleine West, Assistant Director for Parks, Wildlife and Lands, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Jason Lawhon, Forest and Fire Program Director, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), introduced themselves to the committee.



Mike Lester made a powerpoint presentation to the committee. The presentation focused on healthy forests, forest management, ways to improve effectiveness of wildfire mitigation efforts, other department wildfire programs, and the possibility of combining existing grant programs.





09:19 AM



Senator Roberts asked Director Lester to explain the CSFS structure and to explain to the committee what kinds of outreach the CSFS performs. Director Lester explained that the CSFS is part of Colorado State University and provides outreach through its various different staff, and is enhanced by its relationship with CSU.





09:24 AM



Senator Roberts asked Director Lester to talk about possible uses of biomass. Director Lester discussed several challenges regarding biomass usage including the cost of transporting material, high startup cost to establish processing facilities, and explained that biomass industries are most successful in places where there is a vibrant forest products industry. Senator Roberts and Director Lester continued to discuss biomass challenges and uses.



09:36 AM



Senator Baumgardner asked Director Lester whether the legislature should play a role in the establishment of small businesses in the biomass industry. They continued to discuss the issue of business creation and the state's role.



09:42 AM



Representative Buck asked Director Lester about collaborative participation between state, federal, and private businesses in the establishment of biomass facilities. They continued to discuss several funding mechanisms for the Gypsum Evergreen Clean Energy Plant.



09:44 AM



Senator Roberts asked Director Lester to compare Colorado's economic development in biomass industries to other western states.



09:48 AM



Assistant Director West discussed the department's perspective on combining the CSFS and DNR wildfire mitigation grant programs. The DNR believes that combining the programs will provide significant benefit.



09:56 AM



Representative Buck asked Assistant Director West about budgeting, and how much money remains in the the DNR grant fund. The committee members and panel members continued to discuss funding and budgeting. Senator Roberts asked the CSFS and DNR staff to prepare materials focused on the grant programs for the committee's next meeting.



10:15 AM



Mr. Lawhon discussed the idea of combining the DNR and CSFS grant programs.



10:17 AM



Senator Roberts asked Mr. Lawhon about TNC's willingness to do outreach on behalf of a possible combined grant program. Mr. Lawhon explained the TNC's current outreach efforts involving bringing different stakeholder groups together. Senator Roberts and Mr. Lawhon continued to discuss the possible combined grant program.



















10:26 AM -- Colorado State Fire Chiefs Presentation



Garry Briese, Executive Director of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs, gave a presentation to the committee regarding losses from catastrophic wildfires, and recommendations for action. He discussed the priorities of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs regarding strategic funding, coordination of resources, the need for a statewide building code, and the continuation of successful programs including CO-WIMS and the multi-mission aircraft. He also presented a handout to the committee (Attachment A).



160815 AttachA.pdf



10:53 AM



Director Briese answered questions from the committee regarding homes within the wildland-urban interface (WUI), fire suppression strategies, return on investment of various mitigation strategies compared to suppression costs, prescribed burning, air quality, Colorado's progress in mitigation techniques, and coordination with realtor and insurance industries.



11:14 AM -- Presentation on Wildfire Successes in Boulder County



Megan Davis, Policy Analyst, Boulder County Board of Commissioners, discussed wildfire mitigation efforts undertaken in Boulder County. She also briefly discussed the Cold Springs Fire in Boulder County.



11:24 AM -- Representative Singer asked Ms. Davis about possible future testimony from wildfire firefighters.



11:25 AM -- Presentation by Dr. Ronal Larson



Dr. Ronal Larson, Larson Biochar Policy Consulting gave a brief presentation to the committee about biochar. Dr. Larson described his background in renewable energy policy, biochar, and possible cost savings through the use of biochar.



11:49 AM -- Presentation by Colorado Association of Realtors



Ted Leighty, Vice President of Government Affairs, Colorado Association of Realtors (CAR), made a presentation to the committee about CAR's role in preventing and mitigating wildfire, and presented a handout to the committee (Attachment B).



160815 AttachB.pdf



11:57 AM



Mr. Leighty answered committee questions regarding potential realtor education to clients, partnering with the insurance industry, the possible combination of the DNR and CSFS grant programs, and population growth in Colorado.













12:15 PM



The committee recessed for lunch.



01:34 PM -- Presentation by Legislative Council Staff



Damion Pechota, Legislative Council Staff, presented a summary of wildfire-related legislation in the 2016 legislative session, as well as related research prepared by Legislative Council Staff on Utah's mitigation and suppression programs (Attachment C). Mr. Pechota answered questions from the committee.



160815 AttachC.pdf



01:47 PM



Senator Roberts invited Director Lester back to the table to discuss the report he had prepared for the committee (Attachment D).



160815 AttachD.pdf



01:52 PM -- Presentation by Office of Legislative Legal Services Staff



Bob Lackner and Kate Meyer, Office of Legislative Legal Services, presented the interim committee bill request process to the committee.



01:55 PM



The committee members discussed ideas for legislation.



01:58 PM



Representative Singer proposed a bill that would ensure that private property owners having lost their property through natural disaster would not face foreclosure solely due to lack of occupancy. The committee asked Representative Singer questions and discussed the idea.



02:01 PM



The committee took a brief break from discussing potential legislation to accept public testimony.



02:02 PM -- Dr. Ronal Larson, Biochar Policy, testified regarding biochar.



02:04 PM



Representative Buck proposed a bill that would combine the DNR and CSFS grant programs.















02:06 PM



Senator Roberts proposed a resolution to encourage the use of biochar and to discourage the federal government's use of fire borrowing.



02:07 PM



The committee discussed the potential bills.



02:11 PM



Damion Pechota returned to the table to explain the rest of the interim committee schedule.



02:19 PM



The committee adjourned.