WSP08479 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

080648 H.R. 3561 --(see attached) would create yet another water policy commission at the federal level. Recall the old Water Policy Review Advisory Commission. This looks to be another shot at that same effort. I'll keep an eye on it. Greg Walcher, DNR Director, has sent a letter. to the delegation on this issue (see attached). Farm BiIl--Senators Campbell and Allard have lead the charge against a provision in the Farm Bill that would have required participants in the Farm Bill programs to include their water in a conservation program. Apparently, that language has been changed to call for a pilot water conservation program in eight western states, luckily not including Colorado. "The Missing Lynx"-I thought you might be interested in the article (see attached e-mail from Kent Holsinger) on the lynx scandal in Washington, D.C. It seems that the science behind the administration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has its problems. State Legislative Issues SB 148-Mitigation of Water Right Transfers-Senator Mark Hillman introduced SB 148 (see attached) and the legislation has had its first committee hearing. The legislation would require the purchaser of an agricultural water right that changes the use of the water right from ag to municipal use and that transfers the water right out of the county of origin would need to work with the local county to mitigate the impacts of the transfer. Under the bill, as introduced, a decree in a transfer case could not be made until a mitigation agreement was execute between the buyer and the local county. The bill would also authorize county governments to levy additional taxes to fund the purchase of water rights for preservation within their county, after voter approval. The Colorado Water Congress debated this bill several times and ultimately decided to oppose the bill as it was introduce, and to form a task force to look at the issue and offer alternatives, That task force met once, but hasn't yet decided on a direction for this issue. Action 22 took a position in favor of the legislation, The legislation had its first hearing in the Senate Ag and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, February 12. I testified in support of the legislation, but made it clear to the Ag Committee that I was not representing the District board because the board had not yet taken a position on the bill. The hearing lasted for two hours, but the vote was postponed until Thursday, February 14. I did not attend the February 14 hearing so I'm not sure of the outcome of SB 148. 7