MINUTES OF THE

SENATE Committee on Natural Resources

 

Seventy-First Session

April 13, 2001

 

 

The Senate Committee on Natural Resourceswas called to order by Chairman Dean A. Rhoads, at 2:10 p.m., on Friday, April 13, 2001, in Room 2144 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.  All exhibits are available and on file at the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Senator Dean A. Rhoads, Chairman

Senator Lawrence E. Jacobsen, Vice Chairman

Senator Mike McGinness

Senator Mark A. James

Senator Raymond C. Shaffer

Senator Bob Coffin

Senator Maggie Carlton

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Fred W. Welden, Committee Policy Analyst

Heather Miller, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Fred J. Schmidt, Lobbyist, Southern Nevada Water Authority

George Caan, Director, Colorado River Commission

Daryl E. Capurro, Lobbyist, Nevada Motor Transport Association

Verne Rosse, Deputy Administrator, Corrective Actions, Federal Facilities and Waste Management Programs, Division of Environmental Protection, State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

 

Chairman Rhoads opened the work session on Senate Bill (S.B.) 211.

 

SENATE BILL 211:  Expands authority of Colorado River commission to provide electric services to political subdivisions. (BDR 58-633)

 

Fred J. Schmidt, Lobbyist, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), testified in favor of S.B. 211, and provided some proposed amendments written by the SNWA to be considered by committee (Exhibit C).  He also provided a handout articulating how the amendments would read, minus the omitted language (Exhibit D).  Mr. Schmidt briefly read and explained the proposed amendments to the committee. 

 

Senator Coffin asked what would happen if a local utility company had a power shortage.

 

George Caan, Director, Colorado River Commission (CRC), answered the CRC presently sells power to rural electric co-ops, and these proposed amendments to S.B. 211 would allow the CRC to sell to member water and waste water agencies.  He explained the CRC would not be able to sell power to anyone not in the proposal.  Senator Coffin then asked if the SNWA could sell to a local company if it (the SNWA) had excess capacity in its contract.  Mr. Caan responded the CRC’s first obligation is to its contracted customers, so if one of the costumers had excess capacity, the CRC would first look to its own customers to place that excess capacity. 

 

Chairman Rhoads closed the work session on S.B. 211 and opened the work session on S.B. 327.

 

 SENATE BILL 327:  Revises provisions relating to certain hazardous materials. (BDR 40-164)

 

Daryl E. Capurro, Lobbyist, Nevada Motor Transport Association (NMTA), testified in favor of S.B. 327, provided the committee considers amendments written by the NMTA (Exhibit E).  Mr. Capurro briefly read the proposed amendments to the committee.  He explained the NMTA follows the authority of U.S. Department of Transportation in regards to transportation regulations.  He said these issues and responsibilities should belong solely to the Nevada Highway Patrol Division, not the Division of Environmental Protection.

 

Verne Rosse, Deputy Administrator, Corrective Actions, Federal Facilities and Waste Management Programs, Division of Environmental Protection (DEP), State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, testified on the amendments proposed by the DEP to S.B. 327 (Exhibit F).  He briefly read these proposed amendments to the committee.  He rebuffed Mr. Capurro’s statement about the EPA not regulating transporters of hazardous waste.  He said transporters must register with the EPA, and the EPA must issue identification numbers.  Mr. Rosse said the primary concern for the EPA is that the waste is properly packaged and transported safely. 

 

Chairman Rhoads asked Mr. Rosse if the EPA has cars on the roads that continually stop and check the trucks.  Mr. Rosse answered it did not, stating the EPA asks the Nevada Highway Patrol Division to handle those types of situations.  Chairman Rhoads then asked what would happen if S.B. 327 passed as presently amended.  Mr. Rosse responded the federal delegation for the transportation of hazardous waste regulatory program would be taken away from the EPA. 

 

Senator McGinness asked Mr. Rosse if the federal government would have to enforce S.B. 327 (as presently amended) in place of the state.  Mr. Rosse affirmed they would.

 

Mr. Capurro came forward again to reiterate the delegation of authority for regulating transportation is with the Nevada Highway Patrol Division. 

 

Chairman Rhoads closed the work session on S.B. 327 and opened the work session on S.B. 531.

 

 SENATE BILL 531:  Revises provisions governing employees of Colorado River commission. (BDR 48-354)

 

Mr. Caan came forward again and testified on the proposed amendments to S.B. 531 written by the CRC and distributed to the committee (Exhibit G). 

 

Chairman Rhoads asked for a motion to amend and do pass S.B. 531.

 

SENATOR JAMES MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.B. 531.

 

SENATOR COFFIN SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

*****

 

Chairman Rhoads opened the work session on S.B. 532.

 

 SENATE BILL 532:  Revises provisions governing fencing of certain land that is used to graze or herd livestock. (BDR 50-1168)

 

Chairman Rhoads asked for a motion to do pass S.B. 532. 

 

SENATOR JAMES MOVED TO DO PASS S.B. 532.

 

SENATOR SHAFFER SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

*****

 

Chairman Rhoads adjourned the work session at 2:33 p.m.

 

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Heather Miller,

Committee Secretary

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

                       

Senator Dean A. Rhoads, Chairman

 

 

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