BOARD00356

• Board Meeting Date: 5/22/2000
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO

. Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natura! Resources
1313 Shennan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: (303) 866,3441
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

Q

Bill Owens
Governor

MEMORANDUM

TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Dan McAuliffe
May 15,2000
Proposed Fiscal Yearend Revisions in Severance Tax Trust Fund
Operational Account Expenditures

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

Peter H. Evans
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Attached is a spreadsheet indicating how we propose to close the current fiscal year with respect to
funds appropriated to t1Je CWCB from the Severance Tax Trust Fund Operational Account.

Unfortunately, the proponents of the Delta County project decided not to proceed with the project in this
fiscal year. In the case of the CSU study, the funds for this project will be provided from another source because
CSU cannot complete the study before June 30, 2000.

. As a result, we intend to allocate the funds for activities that can be completed before June 30. Any
funds not expended will revert to the Operational Account. Therefore, the amounts listed next to the projects
reflect the need to be able to spend up to this amount, but we may not need the entire amount listed.

The funds that have been appropriated to the CWCB via the Long Bill must be expended before the end
of t1Je Fiscal Year. However, because of new statutory provision that was contained in t1Je Projects Bill (HB 00-
1419), beginning on July 1,2000 we may keep the keep the funds until expended.

On July 1,2000 we will receive an additional $585,000 from the Operational Account. We intend to
bring you an updated list of projects in July for review and approval. To the extent practical, we intend to
continue to complete projects on a fiscal year basis, but having the flexibility to carry-over funds if necessary
will be very valuable.

,There was a need to bring this issue to your attention because t1Jis is the last meeting before the end of
this fiscal year. Although t1Je funds are appropriated to t1Je CWCB without restrictions, if the State Controller
wants Board approval reflected in your meeting minutes before agreeing to t1Je expenditures we would have no
other scheduled opportunity.

The next Minerals, Energy and Geology Policy Advisory (MEGA) Board meeting is June 12 in
Alamosa. It is expected that it will make its final severance tax funding recommendations to DNR Executive
Director Greg Walcher regarding Fiscal Year 2001-2002 requests at this meeting. You may recall that you
reviewed our proposed requests at the March Board meeting in Colorado Springs. I will be representing you at
this meeting.

.