Wyoming Legislature

Committee Meeting Summary of Proceedings

Committee Meeting Information

July 25, 2005

Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building

Casper, Wyoming

Committee Members Present

Senator Bill Hawks, Co-Chairman

Representative Thomas A. Lockhart, Co-Chairman

Senator Kit Jennings

Senator Bill Vasey

Senator Charles Townsend

Representative Bob Brechtel

Representative Floyd Esquibel

Representative Debbie Hammons

Representative Elaine Harvey

Representative Lorraine Quarberg

Representative Doug Samuelson

Committee Members Absent

Senator Hank Coe

Representative Becket Hinckley

Representative Frank Latta

Legislative Service Office Staff

Maxine Weaver, Staff Attorney

Others Present at Meeting

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Call To Order

Co-Chairman Hawks called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

Community Landfill Remediation

John Corra and Dave Finley, Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), presented background information to the Committee [Appendix 3].  DEQ is asking for a planning bill with a cost share for the communities and an increase of two (2) staff positions to handle the increase in workload for DEQ. 

Joe Evans, Wyoming County Commissioners Association (WCCA), explained the County Commissioners were not in favor of last year's bill because there was not enough data to support the $180 million request in the bill but they do support this planning bill as presented by DEQ.

George Parks, Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM), provided background information [Appendix 4] and indicated there are 38 municipalities that currently operate active landfills and several municipalities with inactive landfills as well.  WAM's position is that every municipality should conduct a screening to determine if their landfills are generating potential contamination.  If the screening indicates a problem, than an investigation could be conducted to determine the nature and extent of the contamination.  WAM supports the DEQ planning bill and supported DEQ's administration of this process.

Bobbe Fitzhugh, Citizens Advisory Group on Solid Wastes (CAG), discussed the development of the CAG and CAG's involvement in the development of the community landfill legislation  [Appendix 5].  Ms. Fitzhugh spoke in favor of the draft bill on the "Integrated solid waste planning act" [Appendix 6] and expressed the need for DEQ to add additional staff to adequately address the additional workload contemplated by this bill.  Ms. Fitzhugh emphasized the CAG wants DEQ help while maintaining local control and prefer the State Land and Investment Board (SLIB) administer the fund.

Cynthia Langston, City of Casper, spoke in support of the draft DEQ planning bill and with DEQ managing the fund.  Ms. Langston had concerns about unfunded mandates and encouraged the Committee to ensure adequate funding and staffing to properly manage any planning. 

Dale Groutage, Fremont County Solid Waste Disposal District, spoke in favor of this DEQ planning bill and in favor of the SLIB administering the grant funds.

Myron Heny, Wyoming Solid Waste and Recycling Association and member of CAG, provided additional background on the CAG and spoke if favor of the DEQ planning bill with DEQ administering the grant funds.  Mr. Heny expressed disappointment that recycling had been dropped from the bill.

Mr. Corra explained DEQ's involvement with the planning bill and relayed information he had discussed the administration of the fund with the Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) .  The OSLI is not staffed or equipped to handle this study or grant and if OSLI is tasked with administering this bill, OSLI would defer to DEQ for DEQ's expertise in this matter.

Mr. Corra discussed the bill in detail [Appendix 6].  Mr. Corra testified that to adequately address this bill, DEQ will need two (2) additional staff positions and $5 million (considering an additional $5 million match from counties and municipalities for a total of $10 million) for monitoring and remediation. 

Senator Vasey moved for the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee to sponsor the planning bill, seconded by Co-Chairman Lockhart.  The motion passed.

Co-Chairman Lockhart moved to amend the bill to add two (2) employees, seconded by Senator Vasey.  The amendment passed. 

LSO staff was directed to consider whether an appeal process is needed for this bill or if it is covered under the Environmental Quality Act.

LSO staff was directed to consider the unfunded mandate of $5 million and whether the monitoring needs should be addressed in this bill or presented as a separate bill, with the discretion on bill drafting being left to LSO staff.

Meeting Adjournment

The next meeting of the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee will be September 19, 2005 at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, Casper, Wyoming.

There being no further business, Co-Chairman Hawks adjourned the meeting at 12:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Senator Bill Hawks, Co-Chairman