24a

• Board Meeting Date: 11/18/2007
• Description: WSP Section - Sevferance Tax Operational Account - Forest Restoration and Tamarisk
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
wuu . o~n cU. state. co.us
Bill Ritter, 7r.
Governor
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board
H:uris D. Sherman
DNR Executive Director
FROM: Ste~~e Miller, Water Supply Protection Section
Dan MoAuliffe
Acting CWCB Director
DATE: No~~ember 6, 2007
RE: Agenda Item 24a. November 14-15, 2007 Board Meeting
Se~~erance Tax Operational Account Proposals -Forest Restoration and Tamarisk
Introduction
The Board has recei~~ed two extraordinary applications for non-reimbursable in~~estments this
year: a $4 million request fora 4 year forest restoration grant program from the Colorado State
Forest Service (CSFS) and a $1 million request for a tamarisk and Russian Oli~~e control grant
program from the Tamarisk Coalition (TC), which likely would be resubmitted for se~~eral more
years of funding. The merits of these requests are described at Agenda Items 18d and 18g
respecti~~ely, but far exceed the levels of funding a~~ailable from and traditionally provided by the
Board's Construction Fund. Discussion during this Agenda Item provides an opportunity to
consider an alternate funding mechanism, authorization by the General Assembly of an enhanced
allocation from the Severance Tax Operational Account, to be transferred into the Construction
Fund for the specific purpose of funding one or both of these watershed restoration acti~~ities.
Discussion
Assuming that Board wants to fund tamarisk control and forest restoration activities based on its
goals of protecting and enhancing water supplies as well as preserving the en~~ironment to a
reasonable degree the option of seeking additional severance tax funding for these purposes may
be attracti~~e. Senior staff and EDO have discussed this option and conferred with some
members of the General Assembly. Senior staff will ad~~ise the Board of their options and the
likelihood of securing legislative appro~~al of this mechanism.
Water Supply Protection • Flood Protection • Stream & Lake Protection • Rater Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development