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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT
STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Utah State Capitol, Room C415
Sen. Allen Christensen
Sen. Margaret Dayton
Sen. Fred Fife
Sen. Dennis Stowell
Sen. Michael Waddoups
Member Excused: Sen. Gene Davis
Staff Present: J Brian Allred, Policy Analyst
Emily Brown, Associate General Counsel
Saundra Maeser, Secretary
Public Speakers Present: Jim Karpowitz, Director, Division of Wildlife Resources
LeGrand Bitter, Executive Director, Utah Association of Special Districts
Jerry Olds, State Engineer, Division of Water Rights
Ed Kent, Utah Wildlife and Habitat Coalition and Utah Anglers Coalition
Martin Bushman, Assistant Attorney General, Wildlife Resources
Dale Pierson, Director, Rural Water Association of Utah
Dick Buehler, Department of Natural Resources, Forestry, Fire and State Lands
David Austin, Fire Chief, Weber Fire District
Kyle Stephens, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Food
Todd Bingham, Vice President, Utah Farm Bureau Federation
David Spatafore, Utah Fire Chiefs Association
Lincoln Shurtz, Utah League of Cities and Towns
Rep. Michael Noel
Lee Peacock, President, Utah Petroleum Association
David Litvin, President, Utah Mining Association
Steven Bloch, Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.
Committee Chair Peterson called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m.
1. Approval of Minutes
MOTION: Sen. Christensen moved to approve the minutes of February 18, 2008. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Fife and Sen. Waddoups absent for the vote
2. S.B. 238 Aquatic Invasive Species Interdiction Act (Sen. J. Greiner)
Sen. Jon Greiner introduced the bill. Jim Karpowitz, Director, Division of Wildlife Resources, assisted in the presentation. A handout was distributed.
MOTION: Sen. Christensen moved to adopt the following amendment:
1. Page 5, Line 135 :
135 (a) the division,
port-of-entry
agent, or peace officer:
The motion passed unanimously.
LeGrand Bitter, Utah Association of Special Districts; Jerry Olds, State Engineer, Division of Water Rights; Ed Kent, Utah Wildlife and Habitat Coalition, spoke in support of the bill.
Martin Bushman, Assistant Attorney General, Wildlife Resources, answered questions from the Committee.
MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to pass S.B. 238, Aquatic Invasive Species Interdiction Act (Sen. J. Greiner) , out favorably, as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
3. S.B. 228 Regulation of Wells (Sen. M. Dayton)
Sen. Margaret Dayton introduced the bill. Jerry Olds, State Engineer, Division of Water Rights, assisted in the presentation.
Dale Pierson, Director, Rural Water Association of Utah, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to pass S.B. 228, Regulation of Wells, out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. Waddoups absent for the vote.
MOTION: Sen. Stowell moved to place S.B. 228 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. Waddoups absent for the vote.
4. S.B. 251 Task Force Studying Funding for Fighting Forest Fires (Sen. D. Stowell)
Sen. Dennis Stowell introduced the bill.
Dick Buehler, Department of Natural Resources, Forestry, Fire and State Lands; and Davis Austin, Fire Chief, Weber Fire District, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Fife moved to pass S.B. 251,Task Force Studying Funding for Fighting Forest Fires, out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. Waddoups absent for the vote.
5. 1st Sub. H.B. 323 Eminent Domain Amendments (Rep. A. Tilton) (Sen. D. Peterson)
Rep. Aaron Tilton introduced the bill.
Lincoln Shurtz, Utah League of Cities and Towns; Todd Bingham Utah Farm Bureau Federation; and David Spatafore, Utah Fire Chiefs Association, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to pass 1st Sub. H.B. 323, Eminent Domain Amendments , out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. Stowell absent for the vote.
6. H.B. 137 State Facility Water Conservation Program (Rep. L. Wiley) (Sen. P. Knudson)
Rep. Larry Wiley introduced the bill.
Dale Pierson, Director, Rural Water Association of Utah, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Waddoups moved to pass H.B. 137, State Facility Water Conservation Program, out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Stowell absent for the vote.
7. 1st Sub. H.B. 148 Aquaculture Revitalization Act (Rep. M. Noel) (Sen. D. Peterson)
Rep. Michael Noel introduced the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Waddoups moved to replace 1st Sub. H.B. 148 with 2nd Sub. H.B. 148, Aquaculture Revitalization Act. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Stowell absent for the vote.
Ed Kent, Utah Anglers Coalition; Jim Karpowitz, Division of Wildlife Resources; Todd Bingham, Utah Farm Bureau; and Kyle Stephens, Department of Agriculture and Food, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to pass 2nd Sub. H.B. 148, Aquaculture Revitalization Act., out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Stowell absent for the vote.
8. H.J.R. 10 Joint Resolution Opposing Designation of Public Lands Currently Urged by Congress and the Bureau of Land Management (Rep. A. Tilton) (Sen. M. Dmitrich)
Rep. Aaron Tilton introduced the bill. Rep. Michael Noel assisted in the presentation.
Lee Peacock, President, Utah Petroleum Association; David Litvin, President, Utah Mining Association; and Todd Bingham, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, spoke in support of the bill.
Steven Bloch, Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Christensen moved to pass H.J.R. 10, Joint Resolution Opposing Designation of Public Lands Currently Urged by Congress and the Bureau of Land Management, out favorably.
The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously.
Chair Peterson adjourned the meeting at 9:55 a.m.
Minutes reported by Saundra Maeser, Secretary
______________________________
Darin G. Peterson, Committee Chair