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336FE96DEDA80C8887258242005FD07B Hearing Summary




PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For SB18-170

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY
Date Feb 28, 2018      
Location SCR 357



SB18-170 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole


10:26:35 AM  
Senator Sonnenberg, prime sponsor, discussed the provisions of Senate Bill18-170 concerning reservoir releases for fish and wildlife mitigation. He also distributed Amendment L.001 [Attachment A]. The introduced bill establishes a water court process by which a storage water right owner may dedicate releases from new capacity in a reservoir to the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) in order to reasonably avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts on fish and wildlife within a qualifying stream reach, if certain conditions are met.
10:27:52 AM  
Eric Wilkinson, General Manager, Northern
Colorado Water Conservancy District, spoke in favor of the bill and distributed
a map of the Northern Integrated Supply Project [Attachment B].  He
explained that a similar bill, Senate Bill17-282 was postponed indefinitely
by the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy Committee.  He
explained that state law requires fish and wildlife mitigation plans for
certain water projects and discussed the mitigation plan for the Northern
Integrated Supply Project, also known as NISP.  He also responded
to questions from the committee about NISP and measures to protect other
water users on Cache la Poudre River.
10:36:42 AM  
Peggy Montano, Northern Colorado Water
Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill and announced that Colorado
Water Congress supports the bill.  She also spoke in support of Amendment
L.001.
10:39:20 AM  
Lee Miller, Southeastern Water Conservancy
District, spoke in support of the bill.  He also discussed fish and
wildlife mitigation plans for the district's water diversions.
10:43:17 AM  
Donna Brosemer, Greeley Water, North Weld County Water District, spoke in support of the bill.
10:52:28 AM  
The chair closed testimony and Senator Sonnenberg closed his remarks on the bill.


10:54:16 AM
Motion Adopt amendment L.001
Moved Sonnenberg
Seconded
Cooke
Coram
Donovan
Fenberg
Fields Excused
Garcia
Jones
Marble
Scott
Baumgardner
Sonnenberg
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


10:56:00 AM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 18-170 to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Sonnenberg
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Excused
Garcia Yes
Jones No
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 9   NO: 1   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS