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MINUTES OF THE HOUSE
NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, & ENVIRONMENT
STANDING COMMITTEE
Room C445, State Capitol
February 4, 2013
Members Present: Rep. Mike Noel, Chair
Rep. Doug Sagers, Vice Chair
Rep. Roger Barrus
Rep. Joel Briscoe
Rep. Kay Christofferson
Rep. Jack Draxler
Rep. Susan Duckworth
Rep. Becky Edwards
Rep. Steve Handy
Rep. Ken Ivory
Rep. John Mathis
Rep. Mike McKell
Rep. Merrill Nelson
Rep. Ryan Wilcox
Rep. Larry Wiley
Members excused: Rep. Mel Brown
Staff Present: Mr. J. Brian Allred, Policy Analyst
Ms. An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary
Note: A list of visitors and handouts are filed with committee minutes
Chair Noel called the meeting to order at 2:06 p.m.
MOTION: Rep. Wiley moved to approve the minutes of January 31, 2013. The motion
passed unanimously with Rep. Wilcox absent for the vote.
H.B. 77 Wildfire Suppression Amendments (Rep. K. Powell)
Rep. Powell introduced and explained the bill with the assistance of Ms. Lauren Johnson,
student, Westminster College; Dr. Mitchell Power, Assistant Professor, University of Utah Dept.
of Geography; and Ms. Susan Soleil, citizen. Handouts were provided to the committee.
Spoke for the bill: Mr. Kyle Yurkovich, citizen
Mr. Dennis Gibbs, citizen
Ms. Carol Walters, Utah Valley Earth Forum
Ms. Sara Ma, iMatter Utah
Mr. Logan Froerer, citizen
Mr. Stephen Trimble, Utah Interfaith Power and Light
Ms. Treasure Lundskog, iMatter Utah
Mr. David Folland, citizen
Mr. Bill Barron, citizen
Mr. Ryan Pleune, citizen
Mr. Robert Smith, citizen
Spoke against the bill: Ms. Dalane England, citizen
Ms. Gayle Ruzicka, Eagle Forum
Ms. Joni Crane, citizen
Spoke to the bill: Mr. Dick Buehler, State Forester/Director, Utah Division of
Forestry, Fire and State Lands
MOTION: Rep. Briscoe moved to pass the bill out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Rep. Edwards moved to amend the bill by striking the following
lines:
35
(a) is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of
36
the global atmosphere;
The motion to amend failed with Rep. Barrus, Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Draxler, Rep. Handy, Rep.
Ivory, Rep. Mathis, Rep. McKell , Rep. Nelson, Rep. Wilcox, Rep. Wiley, and Rep. Noel voting
in opposition.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Rep. Ivory moved to amend the bill by striking the following lines:
34
(2) "Climate change" means an observed rise in average annual temperature that:
35
(a) is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of
36
the global atmosphere;
37
(b) occurs in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time
38
periods; and
39
(c) poses risks to fire management, including:
40
(i) an extended fire season;
41
(ii) an increase in fire occurrence; and
42
(iii) an increase in area burned.
and changing line 90 to read:
90
(i) is responsive to federal management of the public lands; and
A voice vote was taken and Chair Noel declared the substitute motion failed.
A roll call vote was take on the original motion to pass out favorably and the motion failed with
Rep. Barrus, Rep. Christofferson, Rep. Draxler, Rep. Handy, Rep. Ivory, Rep. Mathis, Rep.
McKell, Rep. Nelson, Rep. Wilcox, Rep. Sagers, and Rep. Noel voting in opposition.
MOTION: Rep. Sagers moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Chair Noel adjourned the meeting at 4:03 p.m.
_________________________
Rep. Mike Noel, Chair