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S_TRA_2024A 01/17/2024 10:29:24 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON JOINT SENATE TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY AND HOUSE ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Date 01/17/2024
Attendance
Bottoms X
Cutter X
DeGraaf X
Exum X
Froelich X
Hinrichsen X
Joseph *
Pelton B. X
Priola X
Rutinel X
Simpson X
Soper *
Titone X
Valdez X
Velasco X
Vigil X
Willford *
Winter T. X
Winter F. X
Kipp X
Time 10:29:24 AM to 03:49:58 PM
Place Old Supreme Court
This Meeting was called to order by Kipp
This Report was prepared by Samantha Falco
Hearing Items Action Taken
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment SMART Act Presentation Committee Discussion Only
Joint Budget Committee Presentation to Joint Rule 25 (d) Committee Discussion Only
Colorado Energy Office SMART Act Presentation Committee Discussion Only
Colorado Department of Natural Resources: Energy & Carbon Management Commission SMART Act Presentation Committee Discussion Only
Colorado Public Utilities Commission SMART Act Presentation Committee Discussion Only
Public Testimony Committee Discussion Only

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment SMART Act Presentation - Committee Discussion Only


10:31:47 AM  
Jill Hunsaker Ryan,
Executive Director, Trisha Oeth, Director of Environmental Health and Protection,
and Erick Schemenske, Chief Operating Officer, with the Colorado Department
of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) presented their SMART Acts presentation.
Information on the CDPHE presentation can be found here:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/cdphe_smart_act_presentation_2024.pdf
10:38:08 AM  
Director Hunsaker
Ryan started the presentation with sharing CDPHE's mission and vision,
organizational structure, and wildly important goals. The presentation
continued with Director Oethe sharing information on the efforts being
made to improve air quality. This included information on recent accomplishments
and goals for 2024.
11:00:17 AM  
The presentation
continued with information on the Environmental Justice Action Task Force,
Waters of the United States, CDPHE's legislative agenda, and budget requests.
The presentation wrapped up with an overview of the department's inclusion,
diversity, equity, and accessibility work; performance management and business
intelligence; stimulus implementation update; and the 2024 regulatory agenda.
11:11:08 AM  
The committee asked
questions regarding the districts receiving awards, air monitoring locations,
mobile monitoring, monitoring versus modeling and reaching ozone goals.



The committee continued to ask questions on what is being tracked in regards
to greenhouse gases and water vapor,
11:39:23 AM  
The committee continued
to ask questions regarding the department's supplemental request and gas-powered
lawn equipment replacement costs.



Joint Budget Committee Presentation to Joint Rule 25 (d) - Committee Discussion Only


12:03:42 PM  
The committee took a brief recess and came back to order.
12:04:00 PM  
The Joint Budget
Committee presented pursuant to Joint Rule 25(d). Representative Sirota
started the presentation with the an overview of the Colorado Energy Office
(CEO) not having any budget requests. The presentation continued with an
overview of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Energy and
Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) budget requests, including R-15. The
comittee asked questions regarding DNR and which comittee of reference
has oversight.
12:09:34 PM  
The presentation
continued with CDPHE's environmental divisions' five budget requests: R-02,
R-07, R-08, R-09, and R-11. The committee asked questions regarding the
increase in FTE last year and how that has changed since this year and
R-02. Rep. Sirota continued with the overview on budget requests.
12:20:42 PM  
Rep. Sirota explained
that the Public Utilities Commission has no budget requests. Senator Kirkmeyer
added a comment regarding additional information that may be valuable to
the committee members regarding general fund spending. Rep. Sirota added
information on the placeholders for requests within the budget.



The committee asked questions on place holders and the American Rescue
Plan Act funding guidance.



Colorado Energy Office SMART Act Presentation - Committee Discussion Only


12:29:10 PM  
Will Toor, Executive
Director, and Dominique Gomez, Deputy Director, with the CEO gave the following
SMART Act presentation:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/ceo_smart_act_presentation_2024.pdf.




Director Toor started the presentation with an overview of the department's
organizational structure, wildly important goals, and operations and finance.
The presentation continued with information on CEO's budget requests, legislative
agenda, stimulus funding implementation, federal funding through the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, long-term funding,
and their regulatory agenda.
12:41:59 PM  
The presentation
continued with program updates regarding transportation, building efficiency
and electrification, Greenhouse Gas Roadmap, and regulatory work.



The committee asked questions regarding green energy citing decisions and
issues with the system, modernization of counties, replacing carbon through
electrification, target dates related to gas production, employee statistics,
regulatory authority, energy storage, Colorado climate goals and decarbonization,
climate science, and electric vehicles.



Colorado Department of Natural Resources: Energy & Carbon Management Commission SMART Act Presentation - Committee Discussion Only


01:45:37 PM  
Dan Gibbs, DNR Executive
Director, and Julie Murphy, ECMC Director, with the DNR gave the following
presentation on their SMART Acts:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/dnr_smart_act_presentation.pdf
and provided the following handout:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/ozone_-_cdphe_and_dnr_2_0.pdf.
01:48:09 PM  
Director Gibbs started the presentation with an overview of the department and their wildly important goals.
02:07:47 PM  
Director Murphy continued
the presentation with information on ECMC rulemaking updates, cumulative
impacts, community engagement, study updates, implications of Senate Bill
19-181, permit trends, orphaned wells updates, and a Johnstown Well update.
02:26:57 PM  
The committee asked
questions regarding the water conservation plan, factors in deciding to
plug a well, orphaned wells and greenhouse gas emissions, expertise on
Colorado's alternative energy portfolio, staff and funding levels, permitting
levels, and carbon dioxide.



Colorado Public Utilities Commission SMART Act Presentation - Committee Discussion Only


02:44:28 PM  
Patty Salazar, Department
of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) Executive Director, and Rebecca White, PUC
Director, gave the following SMART Act presentation:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/puc_smart_act_presentation_0.pdf.
02:47:21 PM  
Director White started the presentation with information on DORA's organizational chart, wildly important goals, the Utility Bill Help Pilot Program, affordability efforts, gas pipeline saftey, towing, energy legislation implementation, equity and environmental justice, the PUC budget, legislation, and the 2024 regulatory-rulemaking agenda.
03:01:58 PM  
The committee asked
questions regarding affordability, geomagnetic storms, grid resiliency,
Senate Bill 21-108 requirement completion, managing complaints, PUC oversight
over various utilities, rulemaking processes, and the pipeline safety program.



Public Testimony - Committee Discussion Only


03:38:59 PM  
Ms. Fiddler, representing
themselves, testified. Renee M. Chacon, representing Womxn From the Mountain,
testified.


03:49:58 PM   The committee adjourned.






The effective date for bills enacted without a safety clause is August 7, 2024, if the General Assembly adjourns sine die on May 8, 2024, unless otherwise specified. Details