SENATE ENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2002
Members Present: Sen. Leonard Blackham
Sen. Mike Dmitrich
Sen. Beverly Ann Evans
Sen. Parley Hellewell
Members Excused: Sen. Terry R. Spencer, Chair
Staff Present: J Brian Allred, Research Analyst
Norda Shepard, Secretary
Public Speakers Present: Sen. Bill Wright
Sen. Peter C. Knudson
Rep. Michael R. Styler
Rep. Fred J. Fife
JoAnne Casey
Michael Cushing,
Heidi Campo
Alisha Lambert
Chris Heaton
Bernell Evans, Payson Mayor
Bruce Hubbard, President, Utah Onion Growers Association
Robert Prather
Michelle Collins
Scott Hilton
Ann Kane
Lowell Braxton, Director, Division of Oil, Gas and Mining
Steve Erickson, Sierra Club
Tom Bingham, President, Utah Manufactures Association
Russ Donohue, Executive Director, Rural Water Users Association
Wes Quinton, Vice President, Utah Farm Bureau
Debbie Goodman, Audubon Society
Kevin Conway, Interim Director, Utah Wildlife Resources
List of Visitors on File:
At the request of the Chair, the meeting was called to order by Acting Chair Hellewell at 8:36 a.m.
1. S. B. 136 State Vegetable (B. Wright)
Sen. Bill Wright presented the bill. Teacher, JoAnne Casey, and students Michael Cushing,
Heidi Campo, Alisha Lambert, and Chris Heaton from Lone Peak Elementary distributed a booklet and information to committee members and gave a presentation in support of the bill. Bernell Evans, Mayor of Payson, and Bruce Hubbard, President, Utah Onion Growers Association spoke in support of the bill. Students from Realms of Inquiry, Robert Prather, Michelle Collins, and Scott Hilton, and their teacher, Ann Kane, spoke in opposition to the bill, stating they favored the sugar beet as the state vegetable.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to pass S. B. 136 out with a favorable recommendation.
SUBSTITUTE-MOTION: Sen. Blackham moved to amend S. B. 136 by changing Line 30 to
read Sugar Beet in place of Spanish sweet onion.
The substitute-motion failed with Sen. Evans and Sen. Hellewell voting against and Sen. Blackham and Sen. Dmitrich voting in favor.
Sen. Evan's original motion passed unanimously.
2. S. B. 72 Coal Mining and Reclamation Amendments (M. Dmitrich)
Sen. Mike Dmitrich presented the bill. Lowell Braxton, Director, Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to pass S. B. 72 out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
3. S. J. R. 12 Resolution Urging Federal Government Review of Alternatives for Atlas Mill Tailings (M. Dmitrich)
MOTION: Sen. Dmitrich moved to adopt 1st Sub S. J. R. 12, Resolution Urging Federal Government Review of Alternatives for Atlas Mill Tailings. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
Steve Erickson, representing Citizens Educations Project, Downwinders, and the Sierra Club spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to pass 1st Sub. S. J. R. 12 out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
4. H. B. 58 Water Forfeiture Amendments (M. Styler)
Rep. Michael R. Styler presented the bill and proposed amendments.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to adopt the following amendment to H. B. 58:
Page 5, line 124: After “state” insert “agreement”
The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
Tom Bingham President, Utah Association of Manufacturers; Russ Donohue, Rural Water User Association; and Wes Quinton, Vice President, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Dmitrich moved to pass H. B. 58 out with a favorable recommendation as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
5. H. B. 223 Hunting License Fee Refund (M. Styler)
Rep. Styler presented the bill. Debbie Goodman, Audubon Society, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Dmitrich moved to pass H. B. 223 out with a favorable recommendation.
The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
6. H. B. 81 Youth Fishing License Amendments (F. Fife)
Rep. Fred J. Fife presented the bill. Kevin Conway, Interim Director, Utah Wildlife Resources, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to pass H. B. 81 out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
7. S. B. 159 Environmental Compliance for Minerals Regulatory Program (P. Knudson)
Sen. Peter C. Knudson presented the bill and proposed amendments.
MOTION: Sen. Dmitrich moved to adopt the following amendment to S. B. 159:
1. Page 8, line 234: After “of the” delete “surface coal”
2. Page 10, line 288: After “cease” delete “surface coal”
The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent that the time of voting.
Mr. Braxton spoke in support.
MOTION: Sen. Dmitrich moved to pass S. B. 159 out with a favorable recommendation as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to approve the minuted of 2-04-02. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Blackham absent at the time of voting.
MOTION: Sen. Evans moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Acting Chair Hellewell adjourned the meeting at 9:26 a.m.
Minutes were reported by Norda Shepard, Secretary
_______________________________________________
Sen. Parley Hellewell, Acting Committee Chair