Evaluate Prerequisites Seaplane Operation In Colorado

Current state park law excludes seaplanes from the definition of a 'vessel', and applicable park rules essentially prohibit seaplanes from landing in or taking off from state park water bodies. The bill:

• Directs the division of parks and wildlife in the department of natural resources to:
• Establish proposed procedures for the mandatory inspection and decontamination of seaplanes landing on water bodies in the state for the purposes of aquatic nuisance species prevention and containment and report on the procedures to the general assembly by September 1, 2019; and
• Establish a stakeholder process to evaluate seaplane access to 2 lakes located at state parks identified by the division and report the results of the stakeholder process to the general assembly by September 1, 2019; and
• Specifies that the prohibition on the landing of seaplanes in state parks does not apply in the event of an emergency, including for seaplanes engaged in firefighting operations.
  (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)