MINUTES OF THE

SENATE Committee on Natural Resources

 

Seventy-First Session

March 26, 2001

 

 

The Senate Committee on Natural Resourceswas called to order by Chairman Dean A. Rhoads, at 2:40 p.m., on Monday, March 26, 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 Raymond C. Shaffer

Senator Bob Coffin

Senator Maggie Carlton

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

Senator Mark A. James (Excused)

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Fred W. Welden, Committee Policy Analyst

Heather Miller, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Pamela B. Wilcox, Administrator and State Land Registrar, Division of State Lands, State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

 

Chairman Rhoads opened the work session on Senate Bill (S.B.) 358.

 

SENATE BILL 358:  Revises provisions relating to lease of state land for residential purposes. (BDR 26-396)

 

Pamela B. Wilcox, Administrator and State Land Registrar, Division of State Lands, State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, testified in favor of S.B. 358 and expressed her appreciation to the committee for introducing it.  She pointed out because the Division of State Lands is changing, it was amending Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 322.007, which provides that any lease of state land, except a lease for farming or grazing whose term extends or is renewable beyond a year, must also be approved by the State Board of Examiners and the Interim Finance Committee.  The Division of State Lands wanted to add residential leases in this clause.  She said making this change would be beneficial to future buyers of land. 

 

Chairman Rhoads asked if this bill would affect the highway maintenance stations.  Ms. Wilcox responded it would only affect land to which title is held by her agency, not the Nevada Department of Transportation’s land.  She elaborated on what types of lands the amendments would affect.

 

Chairman Rhoads closed the work session on S.B. 358 and opened the work session on S.B. 106.

 

SENATE BILL 106:  Requires division of minerals of commission on mineral resources to identify and map certain roads. (BDR 35-1040)

 

Senator McGinness gave his report to the committee, stating the subcommittee intended to move to amend and re-refer.  Senator McGinness briefly listed the amendments agreed upon by the subcommittee.  He said the original proposal was to give this responsibility to the Division of Minerals and the subcommittee decided to leave it with that agency.  Senator McGinness articulated the reasons for this decision.  He reiterated the subcommittee moved to amend and re-refer. 

 

SENATOR MCGINNESS MOVED TO AMEND AND RE-REFER S.B. 106.

 

SENATOR SHAFFER SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

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

 

*****

 

Chairman Rhoads closed the work session on S.B. 106 and opened the work session of S.B. 159.

SENATE BILL 159:  Makes various changes concerning protectible interests in domestic water wells. (BDR 48-309)

 

Fred W. Welden, Committee Policy Analyst, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau, explained the parties interested in S.B. 159 had met and worked together to devise new language.  Mr. Welden referred to an analysis report he prepared for the committee (Exhibit C). 

 

Chairman Rhoads asked Mr. Welden how much money was left in the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) fund and if there was going to be a cap.  [The fund was set up by statute in the Seventieth Legislative Session to assist domestic wells to hook up to public water systems.]  Chairman Rhoads pointed out that the SNWA’s funds might run out if everyone gets up to 85 percent of the cost-of-connection fee granted by the SNWA when they hook up their domestic well to the public water system.  Mr. Welden answered this subject had been discussed.  He said the money is provided through a fee in Clark County of $3 for each well.  He said it was possible there could be a lack of money in the future if most private citizens hooked up their domestic wells to the public water systems and utilized that 85 percent.  Senator Carlton and Mr. Welden discussed how the money was divided and who decided this.  Chairman Rhoads added he thought the program is working quite well. 

 

SENATOR MCGINNESS MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.B. 159.

 

SENATOR SHAFFER SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

THE MOTION PASSED.  (SENATOR JAMES WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)

 

*****

 

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:01 p.m.

 

 

                                                                                       RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Heather Miller,

Committee Secretary

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

                       

Senator Dean A. Rhoads, Chairman

 

 

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