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AGRICULTURE <br />Chair, Bob McLavey, Colorado Department of Agriculture <br />• Request that the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture make lands enrolled in the <br />Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) available to farmers and ranchers for grazing <br />and hay production. This would make additional forage available at a critical time. <br />ENERGY <br />Chair, Joe Lambert, Governor's Office of Energy Management & Conservation <br />• With local governments and fire districts, develop an inventory of critical assets, <br />including water, that need to be maintained during a fire response. Request that the <br />Department of Local Affairs and the Department of Public Safety work with <br />- Colorado Cou ties Inc: and the Colorado Municipal League develop this inventory. <br />• Increase the criminal penalties for arson during an established drought emergency. <br />This is important in many areas of the state, but especially where power transmission <br />lines, substations and other critical infrastructure are involved. <br />Increase liability for negligence in causing a wildfire during a drought emergency. <br />• Through the Office of Energy Management and Conservation and the Public Utilities <br />Commission, coordinate with railroads and electric utilities to assure that there are <br />adequate fire prevention plans for their corridors. <br />HEALTH <br />Chair, David Holm, Water Quality Control Division, C.D.P.H. &E <br />• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment should, as needed, <br />expand existing grant and loan programs to assist public water systems in meeting <br />emergency drinking water requirements, as well as the need for temporary water <br />supplies and adequate treatment systems. <br />• The Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Department of Local Affairs should <br />coordinate with all water providers to assure that they have adequate drought plans <br />and mitigation measures for their systems and customers. <br />• Recommend that the General Assembly consider amending current statute to require <br />all public water systems to develop drought contingency water supply plans for <br />review and approval by the state by no later than July 1, 2003 for the largest systems <br />and by no later than July 1,2005 for the smallest public water systems. <br />• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment should verify that <br />adequate programs are in place to monitor public drinking water systems, wastewater <br />treatment systems and bodies of recreational water for contamination. This includes <br />