MINUTES OF THE

SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 415, Utah State Capitol

February 25, 2016

 

Members Present:     Sen. Scott K. Jenkins, Chair

                                    Sen. Allen M. Christensen

                                    Sen. Margaret Dayton

                                    Sen. Jani Iwamoto

                                    Sen. Peter C. Knudson

                                    Sen. Evan J. Vickers

 

Staff Present:             Brian Allred, Policy Analyst

                                    Lorna Wells, 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 8:02 a.m.

 

MOTION:      Sen. Dayton moved to approve the minutes for February 23, 2016.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

H.B. 52     Office of Outdoor Recreation Amendments (Rep P. Arent)     

 

Rep. Arent explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Brad Peterson, citizen

                                                Mr. Jeff Edwards, President, Economic Development Fund of Utah

                                                Mr. Keith Brady, Emery County Commissioner

                                                Mr. Todd Bingham, Utah Manufacturers Association

                                                Mr. Val Hale, Executive Director, Utah Governor’s Office

                                                     of Economic Development

                                                Mr. Brandon Smith, Utah League of Cities and Towns

                                                Mr. Michael Palmer, Utah Chamber of Commerce

 

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

 

S.B. 200    Compensatory Mitigation Program for Sage Grouse (Sen. K. Van Tassell)

 

MOTION:      Sen. Christensen moved to replace SB 200 and replace it with 1st Sub. S.B. 200.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Sen. Van Tassell explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Mike Styler, Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources

                                    Mr. Alan Clark, Utah Department of Natural Resources

 

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

 

S.B. 212    Wildland Fire Suppression Fund (Sen. E. Vickers)    

 

MOTION:   Sen. Vickers moved to adopt the amendment shown below. 

I.                      Page 2, Lines 44 through 51:           


                                       44          (ii)  deposit all interest or other earnings derived from the account into the Mineral

                                       45   Bonus Account.

                                       46          (e)  The Division of Finance shall, beginning on July 1, 2017, annually deposit 30% of

                                       47   mineral lease bonus payments from the previous fiscal year, up to $2,000,000,  into the

                                              Wildland Fire Suppression Fund created in Section 65A-8-204,   but not to

                                       48   exceed 20% of the amount expended in the previous fiscal year from the Wildland Fire

                                       49   Suppression Fund   {created in Section 65A-8-204}  .

                                       50          (2) (a)  There is created a restricted account within the General Fund known as the

                                       51   "Mineral Lease Account."

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Sen. Vickers explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Brian Cottam, State Forester

                                    Mr. Arte Vandegranff, Utah Association of Counties

 

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

 

1st Sub. H.B. 126     Unmanned Aircraft Revisions (Rep. K. Powell)  

 

Rep. Powell explained the bill to the committee.

                    

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Jason Curry, Investigator, Utah Forestry and State Lands

 

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

 

H.B. 244          Independent Energy Produce Amendments (Rep. F. Gibson) 

 

Rep. Gibson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Dan Black, Associate General Counsel, Vivint Solar

                                                Mr. Steve Woodman, President, International Brotherhood of

                                                      Electrical Workers

 

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

 

H.C.R.8     Concurrent Resolution on the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway (Rep. S. Handy)      

 

Rep. Handy explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Dennis Sullivan, Chairman, Utah Save the Salt

                                    Mr. Larry Volk, Founder Save the Salt, Utah Salt Flat Association

                                    Ms. Allison Volk Dean, Office Manager, Bonneville 200 MPH Club

                                    Mr. Ron Christensen, Announcer, Bonneville Salt Flats

                                    Mr. Lloyd Parry, Ogden City

 

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

 

 

MOTION:      Sen. Dayton  moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Sen.  Shiozawa absent for the vote.

 

Chair Jenkins adjourned the meeting at 4:20 p.m.

 

 

________________________

Sen. Scott K. Jenkins, Chair