MINUTES OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Sixty-seventh Session
March 17, 1993
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources was called to order by Chairman R. Hal Smith, at 8:41 a.m., on Wednesday, March 17, 1993, in Room 224 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Senator R. Hal Smith, Chairman
Senator Dean A. Rhoads, Vice Chairman
Senator Ernest E. Adler
Senator Thomas J. Hickey
Senator Mark A. James
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Joseph M. Neal, Jr.
Senator Dina Titus
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst
Rayanne Francis, Senate Committee Secretary
Chairman Smith convened the work session and asked Senator Rhoads to provide the committee with a summary of the Subcom-mittee on Wildlife's recent activities.
SENATE BILL (S.B.) 114:Makes various changes to provisions governing possession, cultivation and propagation of live wildlife.
SENATE BILL 115: Prohibits hunting of certain animals held in or released from captivity.
SENATE BILL 118: Makes various changes to provisions governing revocation or suspension of licenses and permits issued for hunting, fishing or trapping wildlife.
SENATE BILL 119: Allows board of wildlife commissioners to revoke licenses and permits upon single violation of statutes or regulations.
SENATE BILL 132: Prohibits importation of game animals under certain circumstances.
SENATE BILL 133: Makes various changes to provisions governing collections of live wild animals.
Senator Rhoads commented the Subcommittee on Wildlife was not prepared to make final recommendations to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources on the following bills: S.B. 114, S.B. 115, S.B. 118, S.B. 119, S.B. 132, S.B. 133. He explained these bills would be addressed at an upcoming subcommittee meeting scheduled for the following week. Senator Rhoads said the sub-committee was intending to combine the aforementioned legis-lation into a single bill with broadened language relating to game farming.
SENATE BILL 92: Revises provisions governing issuance of certain game tags for resale by owners of land as compensation for damage caused by wildlife.
Senator Rhoads informed Chairman Smith the Subcommittee on Wildlife had been working on several different amendments to S.B. 92 and was very close to returning the bill to the full committee.
Chairman Smith asked Senator Adler to provide the committee with a summary of the Subcommittee on Recycling Issues' recent activities.
SENATE BILL 127: Directs coordination of governmental collection of fees and applications for obtaining permits to operate business that affects environment.
Senator Adler commented the subcommittee had held several hearings on S.B. 127 in an effort to simplify the permitting process for manufacturers and gas station owners. He explained subcommittee members were intent upon consolidating the fee process at the local and state level concerning the regulation of underground storage tanks. Senator Adler said it was hoped the final version of S.B. 127 would reduce the amount of paperwork required and lower the fee schedule.
Senator Adler pointed out two other bills, which were very similar to S.B. 127, had been introduced in the assembly.
Chairman Smith asked if the Subcommittee on Recycling Issues had made any progress on developing a definition for the term "recyclable." Senator Adler said the subcommittee would be discussing the definition of "recyclables" and funding sources for recycling and the disposal of waste tires.
Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst, inquired if Senator Adler intended to provide members of the committee with recommended amendments to S.B. 127. Senator Adler apologized and passed out a handout listing the Subcommittee on Recycling Issues' proposed amendments (Exhibit C).
Chairman Smith called for action on S.B. 127.
SENATOR ADLER MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.B 127 AS AMENDED.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATORS NEAL AND TITUS WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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SENATE BILL 124: Makes various changes relating to standards for conservation of energy in buildings.
Chairman Smith drew attention to the fact the individual who initiated S.B. 124 had requested the bill be held for an unspecified period of time. Chairman Smith mentioned the bill might possibly be amended, but anticipated S.B. 124 would be indefinitely postponed.
Chairman Smith closed the hearing on S.B. 124.
SENATE BILL 130: Revises restriction on terms of sale or lease of state land or interest therein.
In response to Chairman Smith's call for action on the bill, Senator Hickey mentioned he had not yet received requested information. He asked Chairman Smith to hold the bill until the information was supplied.
Chairman Smith closed the hearing on S.B. 130.
SENATE BILL 147: Requires state land registrar to convey certain land adjoining Governor's Field to Carson City.
Senator Adler explained both he and Senator Lawrence E. Jacobsen had sponsored S.B. 147, regarding a proposed T-ball park near Governor's Field in Carson City, Nevada.
Chairman Smith drew attention to a proposed amendment submitted by Pamela B. Wilcox, Administrator, Division of State Lands, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Exhibit D).
Considerable discussion ensued on the ecological status of the property in question. Senator Hickey voiced his hesitancy to take action on this bill due to the fact committee members had not received information requested at an earlier hearing.
Senator Adler explained he had received information indicating Carson City's willingness to assume the liability on the property. He assumed Senator Hickey was referring to informa-tion regarding the cost of cleaning up pollutants in the soil.
Senator Hickey insisted that environmental laws, involving the process of transferring property from state to local govern-ments, should be consistently adhered to throughout the State of Nevada. He stressed the very same environmental laws, applying to the management of cleaning up the Kerr-McGee site, should also apply to the contaminated soil at the proposed T-ball site near Governor's Field. Senator Hickey insisted the Senate Committee on Natural Resources should receive a report on how the Governor's Field site would be managed before any action was taken on S.B. 147.
Chairman Smith suggested that members committee consider the amendment to S.B. 147 provided by Ms. Wilcox. Senator Adler stressed both he and Senator Jacobsen objected to Ms. Wilcox's amendment. He continued by saying all of the work performed on the site to transform it into a T-ball field would be in vain if the state chose to revoke the city's use of the property. Senator Rhoads emphasized Carson City would have a grace period of 6 months before it would be required to abandon the property. Senator Adler argued improvements to the property could total thousands of dollars and it would be unfair for the state to demand that the property be returned on such short notice. Senator Rhoads stated he could not possibly support language which would give the property to Carson City free-of-charge.
Due to the controversial nature of the committee members' comments, Chairman Smith closed the hearing on S.B. 147 and advised Senators Adler and Hickey to work together to resolve their differences and present their recommendations at a future work session.
Senator Hickey asked Ms. Jenkins to contact Lew Dodgion, Administrator, Division of Environmental Protection, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, to request that he provide a report to the committee regarding the ecological status of the site near Governor's Field.
SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION (S.J.R.) 7: Directs Legislative Commission to continue committee to review Tahoe Regional Planning Compact.
Chairman Smith stressed Senator Raymond C. Shaffer had intended to testify before the committee, but would be unavailable until a later date. He closed the hearing on S.J.R. 7 and recommended the resolution be heard at a future work session.
SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION (S.J.R.) 14:Urges Congress to limit acquisition of privately owned land by the Federal Government and to return public land to private ownership.
Chairman Smith called for action on S.J.R. 14.
SENATOR RHOADS MOVED TO DO PASS S.J.R. 14.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATORS ADLER, NEAL AND TITUS WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 15: Urges Congress to require Secretary of the Interior to consider certain economic factors in determining whether to list species of wildlife as being endangered or threatened and in developing recovery plans for endangered or threatened species of wildlife.
Senator Rhoads explained this law would have saved many of the construction firms and developers in southern Nevada thousands of dollars if it had been enacted before the Desert Tortoise was added to the endangered species list.
Chairman Smith called for action on S.J.R. 15.
SENATOR RHOADS MOVED TO DO PASS S.J.R. 15.
SENATOR JAMES SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATORS ADLER, NEAL AND TITUS WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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BILL DRAFT REQUEST (BDR) 49-525: Makes various changes relating to regulation of pesticides.
Chairman Smith called for committee introduction of BDR 49-525.
SENATOR RHOADS MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF BDR 49-525.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATORS ADLER, NEAL AND TITUS WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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There being no further business before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Chairman Smith adjourned the hearing at 8:58 a.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Rayanne J. Francis,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator R. Hal Smith, Chairman
DATE:
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Senate Committee on Natural Resources
March 17, 1993
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