h_sa_2016a_2016-03-21t13:49:59z0 Hearing Summary

Date: 03/21/2016

01:50 PM -- HB16-1355



Representatives Ryden and Foote, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 16-1355 to the committee. Under current law, local governments have the authority to designate geographic areas or specific activities as matters of state interest, and may control development by adopting regulations for these areas and activities that require permitting. However, a local government may not so designate an area of oil and gas development, unless the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) identifies such an area for designation. This bill repeals that prohibition. The bill also adds the siting of oil and gas facilities to the enumerated powers a county has when zoning unincorporated land. The bill gives municipalities similar power to site oil and gas facilities. Current law bestows the COGCC with exclusive jurisdiction over regulating oil and gas development. This bill specifies that the COGCC authority does not exempt oil and gas facilities from local government siting authority. The bill also requires operators to ensure that the location of such facilities complies with local government site regulations.



Committee members received a packet of written testimony on the bill (Attachment A).



16HouseState0321AttachA.pdf



The sponsors responded to questions from committee members.



02:18 PM -- Dan Kramer, representing the city of Longmont and the Colorado Municipal League, testified in support of the bill.



02:22 PM -- Jennifer Carroll, representing herself as a trustee of the town of Erie, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.



02:31 PM -- Eva Henry, representing the Adams County Board of Commissioners, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.



02:37 PM -- Chris Berg, mayor of Lafayette, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.



02:45 PM -- John Vazquez, mayor of Windsor, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.



02:54 PM -- Nicole Johnston, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



02:58 PM -- Shawndra Barry, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



03:00 PM -- Matt Lepore, representing the COGCC, testified against the bill. He provided a handout (Attachment B) and responded to committee questions.



16HouseState0321AttachB.pdf



03:07 PM -- Kelsey Waslensky, representing the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA), testified against the bill.



03:10 PM -- Sam Knaizer, representing COGA, testified against the bill.





03:14 PM



Ms. Waslensky and Mr. Knaizer responded to committee questions.



03:18 PM -- Louisa Muff de Lopez, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



03:21 PM -- Jacky Kowalsky, representing Adams County Communities for Drilling Accountability Now, testified in support of the bill.



03:25 PM -- Raymond Fuller, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.



03:28 PM -- Amandine Velanda, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



03:31 PM -- Dona Olivier, representing the Wadley Farms Homeowners Association, testified in support of the bill.



03:35 PM -- Hilda Nucete, representing Conservation Colorado, testified in support of the bill.





03:38 PM



Ms. Olivier responded to committee questions.



03:40 PM -- Elise Jones, representing the Boulder County Board of Commissioners, testified in support of the bill.



03:43 PM -- Kim Sanchez, representing Boulder County, testified in support of the bill.





03:46 PM



Ms. Jones and Ms. Sanchez responded to committee questions.



03:48 PM -- Angelique Espinoza, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



03:51 PM -- Steve O'Dorisio, representing the Adams County Board of Commissioners, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.



04:03 PM -- Neil Ray, representing the National Association of Royalty Owners Colorado Chapter, testified against the bill.



04:06 PM -- Bennett Boeschenstein, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. He provided a copy of a Grand Junction city ordinance for the record (Attachment C).



16HouseState0321AttachC.pdf



04:09 PM -- Joan Peck, representing the Longmont City Council, testified in support of the bill.



04:11 PM -- Dave Neslin, representing the Colorado Petroleum Council, testified against the bill.



04:16 PM -- Tracee Bentley, representing the Colorado Petroleum Council, testified against the bill.





04:19 PM



Mr. Neslin responded to committee questions.



04:24 PM -- Josh Joswick, representing the Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project, testified in support of the bill.



04:28 PM -- Natasha Liger, representing Citizens for a Healthy Community, testified in support of the bill.



04:31 PM -- Wayne Urbonas, representing Citizens for a Healthy Community, testified in support of the bill.



04:34 PM -- Wes Wilson, representing Be The Change, testified in support of the bill.



04:38 PM -- Phil Doe, representing Be The Change, testified in support of the bill.



04:42 PM -- James Lockhart, representing the Sierra Club, testified in support of the bill.



04:45 PM -- Sandy Toland, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



04:47 PM -- Michael Bellmont, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.



04:51 PM -- Patricia Davis, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



04:55 PM -- Julie Dadone, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



04:57 PM -- Sara Loflin, representing the League of Oil and Gas Impacted Coloradans (LOGIC), testified in support of the bill.



05:00 PM -- Letitia Gaillard, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



05:03 PM -- Zabrina Arnovitz, representing the Colorado People's Alliance, testified in support of the bill.



05:06 PM -- Suzanne Cabron, representing North Metro Neighbors for Safe Energy, testified in support of the bill.



05:09 PM -- Kristi Douglas, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



05:14 PM -- Tricia Olson, representing Coloradans Resisting Extreme Energy Development (CREED), testified in support of the bill.



05:17 PM -- Stan Dempsey, representing the Colorado Petroleum Association, testified against the bill. He also noted the Colorado Cattlemen's Association's opposition to the bill.



05:21 PM -- Dan O'Connell, representing the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, testified against the bill.



05:25 PM -- Nicholas Colglazier, representing the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Competitive Council, testified against the bill and responded to committee questions.



05:29 PM -- Torie Jarvis, representing the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee questions.





05:35 PM



Representative Foote presented amendment L.001 (Attachment D).



16HouseState0321AttachD.pdf

05:38 PM



Representatives Foote and Ryden wrapped up their presentation of the bill. Committee members commented on the bill.

05:45 PM



The committee recessed.