MINUTES OF THE

SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 415, Utah State Capitol

January 28, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Scott K. Jenkins, Chair

                                    Sen. Allen M. Christensen

                                    Sen. Margaret Dayton

                                    Sen. Jani Iwamoto

                                    Sen. Peter C. Knudson

                                    Sen. Brian E. Shiozawa

                                    Sen. Evan J. Vickers

 

Staff Present:             Mr. Brian Allred, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Lorna Wells, Committee Secretary

                                    Ms. Brooke Parrish, Committee Secretary

 

NOTE:  A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

 

Chair Jenkins called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m.

 

S.B. 66

Unauthorized Activity on State Land (Sen. M. Dayton)

 

Sen. Dayton explained the bill to the committee:

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Jason Curry, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands

 

MOTION:   Sen. Dayton moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Dayton moved to place the bill on the consent calendar.  The motion passed unanimously.

                    

S.B. 40

Water Law - Application Withdrawal (Sen. M. Dayton)

 

Sen. Dayton explained the bill to the committee:

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Kent Jones, State Water Engineer

 

MOTION:  Sen. Dayton moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

S.B. 35

Water Rights Amendments (Sen. M. Dayton)  

 

Sen. Dayton explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Sterling Brown Utah Farm Bureau

                                    Mr. John Mabey, Water Attorney, Mabey, Wright and James

                                    Mr. Kent Jones, State Water Engineer

 

Spoke to the bill:         Mr. Craig Smith, attorney representing Myton, Utah

 

MOTION:  Sen. Dayton moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Shiozawa absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 56

Wildland Fire Policy (Sen. E. Vickers)  

 

Sen. Vickers explained the bill to the committee:

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Brian Cottam, State Forester/Director Forestry, Fire & State Lands

                                    Mr. Coy Porter, State Fire Marshall

                                    Mr. Sterling Brown, Utah Farm Bureau

                                    Ms. Kathleen Clark, Director Public Land Policy Office

 

MOTION:  Sen. Vickers moved to adopt the following amendment: 

 

1.         Page 2, Lines 47 through 52:     


             47        (1)  The director shall:

             48        (a)  coordinate the development of a comprehensive, state-wide wildland fire

             49        prevention, preparedness, and suppression policy;   {and}    

       (b) coordinate with applicable state agencies to identify critical wildlife habitat areas as the policy described in Subsection (1)(a) is developed; and 

             50          {(b)}    (c)    report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee

             51        by November 30, 2015, on the director's recommendation for the policy described in

             52        Subsection (1)(a).


 

2.         Page 2, Line 57 through Page 3, Line 61:          


             57        (b)  create fire-adapted communities, ensuring that human populations and

             58        infrastructure can withstand a wildfire without loss of life or property;   {and} 


                                       59          (c)  improve wildfire response, ensuring that all political subdivisions can participate in

                                       60          making and implementing safe, effective, and efficient risk-based wildfire management

                                       61          decisions  {.}    ; and

                             (d)   reduce risks to wildlife, such as the greater sage grouse, which can be devastated by

                             wildfire.  

 

MOTION:  Sen. Vickers moved to pass the bill as amended out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Shiozawa absent for the vote.

 

Chair Jenkins relinquished the chair to Sen. Dayton

 

S.B. 45

Crossbow Hunting Provisions (Sen. S. Jenkins)  

 

 

Sen. Jenkins explained the bill to the committee.  He distributed the handout “Crossbow Fundamentals” to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Mr. Greg, Sheehan, Director, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Kelly Hicks, cross bow enthusiast

 

Spoke against the bill:             Mr. Miles Moretti, President Mule Deer Foundation

                                                Mr. Ben Lowder, Utah Bowman’s Association

 

Mr. Lowder distributed handout from the “Pope and Young Club”

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jenkins moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed with Sen. Jenkins, Sen. Dayton, Knudson, and Shiozawa voting in favor and Sen. Christensen, Sen. Iwamoto, and Sen. Vickers voting against the vote. 

 

S.B. 89

Aquatic Invasive Species Fee (Sen. S. Jenkins)  

 

 

Sen. Jenkins explained the bill to the committee:

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Greg Sheehan, Director, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

 

Spoke to the bill:         Commissioner John Valentine, Utah State Tax Commission

 

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Linda Townes, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jenkins moved to replace S.B. 89 with 1st Sub S.B. 89 motion passed etc.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jenkins moved to pass 1st Sub S.B. 89 etc. out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Christensen moved to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Chair Jenkins adjourned the meeting at 4:02 p.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Scott K. Jenkins, Chair