MINUTES OF THE

SENATE Committee on Natural Resources

 

Seventy-First Session

April 25, 2001

 

 

The Senate Committee on Natural Resourceswas called to order by Chairman Dean A. Rhoads, at 2:20 p.m., on Wednesday, April 25, 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 Mike McGinness

Senator Mark A. James

Senator Raymond C. Shaffer

Senator Maggie Carlton

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

Senator Lawrence E. Jacobsen, Vice Chairman (Excused)

Senator Bob Coffin (Excused)

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Fred W. Welden, Committee Policy Analyst

Heather Miller, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Alex Haartz, Deputy Administrator, Health Division, Department of Human Resources

Galen D. Denio, P.E., Manager, Public Health Engineering, Bureau of Health Protection Services, Health Division, Department of Human Resources

Stephanie Licht, Lobbyist, Elko County Board of Commissioners

Robert Gronowski, Administrator, Plant Industry Division, State Department of Agriculture

 

Chairman Rhoads opened the hearing on Assembly Bill (A.B.) 200.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 200: Revises provisions governing imposition of civil penalties and administrative fines to enforce certain provisions governing public water systems. (BDR 40-397)

 

Alex Haartz, Deputy Administrator, Health Division, Department of Human Resources, testified the revisions proposed in A.B. 200 would ensure Nevada law complies with federal law in both the administrative and civil penalty areas in drinking water regulations.  He distributed his written statement to the committee for its consideration (Exhibit C), which he read aloud. 

 

Chairman Rhoads asked Mr. Haartz how long the revolving loan fund program mentioned in his statement had been active.  Mr. Haartz answered the program began in 1997, and the public water system program went back to the 1970s.  Chairman Rhoads asked if the programs involved all Nevada counties regardless of population.  Mr. Haartz affirmed they did.  Chairman Rhoads asked Mr. Haartz if the fund had been increasing.  Mr. Haartz answered it has stayed about the same.

 

Galen D. Denio, P.E., Manager, Public Health Engineering, Bureau of Health Protection Services, Health Division, Department of Human Resources, testified briefly that the town of Jarbidge in Elko County had not come to the Bureau of Health Engineering for a loan yet because they have been approved for a grant administered by the state Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) to aid its enforcement of water regulation.

 

Senator Carlton asked if these programs had always been under the jurisdiction of the health department, not the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Mr. Denio answered both programs have been under the Health Division. 

 

Stephanie Licht, Lobbyist, Elko County Board of Commissioners, testified in full support of A.B. 200. 

 

Chairman Rhoads closed the hearing on A.B. 200 and opened the hearing on A.B. 631.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 631: Revises provisions governing quarantines proclaimed by state quarantine officer. (BDR 49-563)

 

Robert Gronowski, Administrator, Plant Industry Division, State Department of Agriculture, testified in support of A.B. 631, reading from a prepared statement which was distributed to the committee (Exhibit D).  

 

Chairman Rhoads closed the hearing on A.B. 631 and adjourned the meeting at 2:34 p.m. 

                                                                                       

 

                                                                                        RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Heather Miller,

Committee Secretary

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

                       

Senator Dean A. Rhoads, Chairman

 

 

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