MINUTES OF THE

      SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      March 30, 1993

 

 

 

The Senate Committee on Natural Resources was called to order by Chairman R. Hal Smith, at 8:40 a.m., on  Tuesday, March 30, 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 Mark A. James

Senator Joseph M. Neal, Jr.

Senator Thomas J. Hickey

Senator Ernest E. Adler

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

Senator Dina Titus (Excused)

 

 

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst

Caroline Allen, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Russ Fields, Executive Director, Nevada Department of Minerals

Doug Driesner, Administrator, Nevada Department of Minerals

M. Douglas Miller, Owner, Miller Mineral Exploration

Gayla Higgins, Concerned Citizen

John M. Young, District Field Supervisor, Santa Fe Pacific Minerals     Corporation

John Bokich, Chairman, Environmental Committee, Nevada Mining           Association

Dave W. Parkhurst, Mining Consultant/Writer

Robert Gronowski, Director of Plant Industry, State of Nevada

   Department of Agriculture

 

      * * * * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman Smith opened the hearing on SENATE BILL (S.B.) 263).

 

 

SENATE BILL 263:   Revises provisions concerning fees charged in                        connection with mining reclamation.

 

 

Russ Fields, Executive Director, Nevada Department of Minerals, introduced himself to members of the committee.  Mr. Fields mentioned that Senate Bill 263 was a bill requested by his department through the Governor's Office.  He stated this bill deals with a very important program that they have in their department, which is called an abandoned land/mine program.  He then deferred to Doug Driesner. 

Doug Driesner, Administrator, Nevada Department of Minerals, introduced himself to members of the committee.  He explained that one aspect of what they do with this department was to try and identify and rank the hazards of old mines left behind by previous miners, back from 80 to 100 years ago.  He speculated that statewide, there were some 50,000 or so old mine shafts in the state of Nevada.  He also indicated they are trying to get some of these mine shafts secured, so that they are no longer public safety hazards.  He further expounded on his presentation.

 

Senator Neal alluded to ads that the Governor had appeared in, throwing rocks in the mines, and asked Mr. Driesner how had these ads been paid for?

 

Mr. Driesner indicated they only had to purchase the blank tapes and Channel 5 KVVU TV had donated the camera crew to go on site for editing and such.

   

Further discussion ensued.

 

M. Douglas Miller, Owner, Miller Mineral Exploration, introduced himself to members of the committee and mentioned they were in support of suggested "Do Pass" of Senate Bill 263.  He also expressed his views on the $20 fee in connection with the mining reclamation and refused to pay. 

 

Gayla Higgins, Concerned Citizen, referred to her husband who was a miner, and introduced herself to members of the committee.  She expressed concern and asked for clarification in reference to the land to be disturbed by mining.  

 

 

 

 

John Young, District Field Supervisor, Santa Fe Pacific Mining, introduced himself to members of the committee and indicated they supported Senate Bill 263.  He further mentioned it wasn't because they did not want to pay the fees and in fact, they had tried to pay the fees voluntarily without receiving notices from the Nevada Department of Minerals to remind them to do this.  He also informed the committee they had approximately 175-180 noted case files in the

the state of Nevada.  He stated they had recently completed the database and what they had found out was in some instances they had not paid fees and in other instances, they had paid too many fees.  He further expounded on his views.

 

John Bokich, Chairman, Environmental Committee, Nevada Mining Association, introduced himself to members of the committee, further indicating that the Nevada Mining Association supports Senate Bill 263.  He stated he thought this bill was a stunning example of good government.  He further expounded on his views.

 

Further discussion ensued.

 

Dave W. Parkhurst, Mining Consultant/Writer, introduced himself to members of the committee and mentioned he had been working closely with both associations of the Nevada Department of Minerals from the time the abandoned mines and lands program had been initiated.  He also mentioned his affiliation with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection Agency on the reclamation regulations that the state eventually adopted.  He further expounded on his views and concluded by stating he was in support of Senate Bill 263.

 

Chairman Smith closed the hearing on Senate Bill 263.

 

 

Chairman Smith opened the hearing on Senate Bill (S.B.) 303.

 

 

SENATE BILL 303:   Makes various changes relating to regulation of                      pesticides.

 

 

Robert Gronowski, Director, Division of Plant Industry, Nevada Department of Agriculture, introduced himself to members of the committee.  He explained that the laws on registration of pesticides to be used in the state, licensing people who sell restricted-use pesticides, licensing and regulating pest control operators and enforcing environmental laws of the United States Environmental Protection Agencies are all part of his program in his division.  He acknowledged that they had noticed the penalties for violating provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes rules and regulations were

 

 

 

 

 

 

not adequate enough to deter violations.  He indicated this bill establishes a civil penalty for violations of the laws and regulations dealing with the use of applications of pesticides.  He further expounded on the misuse of application and explanation of the bill.

 

Further discussion ensued.

 

Chairman Smith closed the hearing on Senate Bill 303.

 

Chairman Smith discussed the order of business for the next work session and assigned a bill to each committee member present.

 

Chairman Smith called for action on Senate Bill (S.B.) 263 and asked for a motion from the committee.

     

        SENATOR ADLER MOVED TO DO PASS S.B. 263.

 

      SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED.  (SENATOR TITUS WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)

 

      * * * * *

 

 

Chairman Smith mentioned he had intended to originally place Senate Bill 303 into a subcommittee but Co-Chairman Rhoads asked that the bill be held and Chairman Smith consented.

 

Chairman Smith called for introduction of Bill Draft Request 43-729.

 

BILL DRAFT REQUEST (BDR) 43-729:  Makes various changes concerning                                     boats and boating.

     

        SENATOR RHOADS MOVED TO INTRODUCE BDR 43-729.

 

      SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED.  (SENATOR TITUS WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)

 

 

 

 

 

There being no further business before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Chairman Smith adjourned the hearing at 9:26 a.m.

 

 

 

            RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

 

 

                                    

            Caroline Allen,

            Committee Secretary

 

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

 

 

                                

Senator R. Hal Smith, Chairman

 

 

 

 

DATE:                           

??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Committee on Natural Resources

March 30, 1993

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