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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT
STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, January 23, 2006
Utah State Capitol Complex, West Office Building, Suite W015


Members Present:        Sen. Michael Waddoups, Chair        
                Sen. Fred Fife
                Sen. Thomas Hatch
                Sen. Scott McCoy
                Sen. Darin Peterson

Member Excused:        Sen. Beverly Evans

Staff Present:            J. Brian Allred, Policy Analyst
                Saundra Maeser, Secretary

Public Speakers Present:    John Baza, Director, Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining
                David Litvin, President, Utah Mining Association
                Darin Bird, Deputy Director, Department of Natural Resources
                LeGrand Bitter, Director, Utah Association of Special Districts
                Mary Draper, citizen
                Claire Geddes, citizen
                Anita Davis, citizen
                Jason Groenewold, Director, Heal Utah
                Anne Suvard Hansen, citizen
                Penny Archibald Stone, citizen    

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


Committee Chair Waddoups called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m.

Copies of the Utah Department of Natural Resources 2004-2005 Annual Report and Directory of Services was distributed.

1. Approval of Minutes

     MOTION: Sen Fife moved to approve the minutes of January 19, 2006.

    The motion passed unanimously.

     2. S.B. 46 Utah Coal Regulator Program Amendments (Sen. M. Dmitrich)
    
    Sen. Mike Dmitrich introduced the bill. John Baza, Director, Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining assisted in the presentation.


    
    David Litvin, President, Utah Mining Association, spoke in support of the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Hatch moved to pass S.B. 46, Utah Coal Regulator Program Amendments,
     out favorably.

    The motion passed unanimously.

2. S.B. 67 Conservation Easement Restricted Accounts (Sen. B. Evans)

    Darin Bird, Deputy Director, Department of Natural Resources explained the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Fife moved to adopt the following amendment:
    
    1. Page 3, Lines 59 through 60

                         59      (3) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Department of
[[   Agriculture and Food   ]]        Natural Resources      

                         60      shall use monies from the account to monitor and enforce compliance with

             conservation


    The motion passed unanimously

    MOTION: Sen. Fife moved to pass S.B. 67, Conservation Easement Restricted Accounts, out favorably as amended.        

    The motion passed unanimously.

3. S.B. 70 Process for Approval of Waste Disposal Amendments (Sen. H. Stephenson)

    Sen. Howard Stephenson introduced the bill.

    LeGrand Bitter, Director, Utah Association of Special Districts, spoke to the bill.

    Mary Draper, citizen; Claire Geddes, citizen, Anita Davis, citizen, Jason Groenewold, Director, Heal Utah; Anne Suvard Hansen, citizen and Penny Archibald Stone, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Hatch moved to adopt the following amendment to S.B. 70:




    1. Page 1, Lines 24 through 25

                          24      Other Special Clauses:

        25        
[[   None   ]]        This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.      


    2. Page 11, Lines 329 through 330:

        329    regulation under the federal Atomic Energy Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections 2014 and 2021 through

                          330      2114.

                Section 3. Effective date.

                This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.

    The motion passed unanimously.

     MOTION: Sen. Peterson moved to pass S.B. 70, Process for Approval of Waste Disposal Amendments, out favorably as amended.

    The motion passed with Sen. Waddoups, Sen. Hatch and Sen. Peterson voting in support and Sen. Fife and Sen. McCoy voting in opposition.

     MOTION: Sen. Hatch moved to adjourn.

    The motion passed unanimously.

    Chair Waddoups adjourned the meeting at 10:15 a.m.

    Minutes reported by Saundra Maeser, Secretary




                 ______________________________
                 Michael Waddoups, Committee Chair