MINUTES OF THE HOUSE

NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, & ENVIRONMENT

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 445, State Capitol

February 4, 2015

Members Present:    Rep. Lee B. Perry, Chair

                                    Rep. Douglas V. Sagers, Vice Chair

                                    Rep. Joel K. Briscoe

                                    Rep. Melvin R. Brown

                                    Rep. Scott H. Chew

                                    Rep. Jack R. Draxler

                                    Rep. Susan Duckworth

                                    Rep. Steve G. Handy

                                    Rep. Timothy D. Hawkes

                                    Rep. Mike K. McKell

                                    Rep. Kraig Powell

                                    Rep. Scott D. Sandall

                                    Rep. Mike Schultz      

Members excused:    Rep. Michael E. Noel 

Staff Present:            Mr. J Brian Allred, Policy Analyst

Ms. An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary

NOTE:     A list of visitors and handouts are filed with committee minutes

Chair Perry called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Draxler moved to approve the minutes of the February 2, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Brown, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

H.B. 140         Sovereign Lands Around Bear Lake (Rep. R. C. Webb)

Rep. Webb explained the bill to the committee and provided a letter from John Spuhler, Mayor, Garden City.

MOTION:     Rep. Sagers moved to adopt 3rd Sub. H.B. 140. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Sandall moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

H.B. 44           Surface Leases Procedure Amendments (Rep. M. McKell)

Rep. McKell explained the bill to the committee. Brian Cottam, State Forester and Director, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, answered questions from the committee.

MOTION:     Rep. Duckworth moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. McKell moved to place H.B. 44 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

H.B. 84           Lead Recycling Amendments (Rep. M. Nelson)

Rep. Nelson explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:       Candace Daly, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.

MOTION:     Rep. Handy moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 13:  

13and recyclers as a suspect regulated metal; {  and  }

2.    Page 1, Line 15:  

15transactions with recyclers and metal dealers  ; and

       ►    exempts from the definition of a dealer specified types of businesses that accept lead batteries for recycling  .

3.    Page 2, Lines 30 through 34:   

30   (2) "Dealer" means:

31   (a) a scrap metal processor or secondary metals dealer or recycler, but does not include  :

(i)  

32junk dealers as defined in Section 76-6-1402 {  , or   }  ;

(ii)  solid waste management facilities as defined

33in Section 19-6-502; or

 (iii) the following businesses that are authorized to accept delivery of used lead batteries for recycling under Sections 19-6-603, 19-6-604, and 19-6-605:

(A) retailers;

(B) wholesalers;

(C) battery manufacturers; and

(D) secondary lead smelters.  

34   (b) a metals refiner.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. McKell, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Draxler moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. McKell, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Schultz absent for the vote.

H.B. 15           Clean Fuel Amendments and Rebates (Rep. S. Handy)

Rep. Handy explained the bill to the committee and provided a handout. RuthAnne Frost, Associate General Counsel, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, answered questions from the committee.

MOTION:     Rep. Handy moved to adopt 1st Sub. H.B. 15. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Hawkes, Rep. McKell, and Rep. Powell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Draxler moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Schultz voting in opposition and Rep. Briscoe, Rep. McKell, and Rep. Powell absent for the vote.

H.B. 149         Utah Research Institute for Mine Safety and Productivity (Rep. M. Wheatley)

Rep. Wheatley explained the bill to the committee with the assistance of Michael Nelson, Chair, University of Utah Department of Mining Engineering.

MOTION:     Rep. Briscoe moved to adopt 1st Sub. H.B. 149. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McKell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Sagers moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 21:  

21           ∙      from the General Fund, {  $15,000  }  $9,999  .

2.    Page 2, Line 48:  

48   From General Fund, One-time                                             {  $15,000  }  $9,999 

3.    Page 2, Line 50:  

50           Utah Research Institute for Mine Safety and Productivity    {  $15,000  }  $9,999 

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McKell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Briscoe moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McKell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Briscoe moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McKell absent for the vote.

Chair Perry adjourned the meeting at 5:17 p.m. 

Lee B. Perry, Chair