Committee Meeting Information

August 24 & 25, 2006

Park County Courthouse

Cody, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Representative Rodney “Pete” Anderson, CoChairman

Senator Gerald E. Geis, CoChairman

Senator Chuck Townsend

Senator Bill Vasey

Representative Layton Morgan

Representative Owen Petersen

Representative Lorraine Quarberg (Aug. 25 only)

Representative Mark Semlek

 

Committee Members Absent

Senator Pat Aullman

Senator Tex Boggs

Senator Robert Peck

Representative Marty Martin

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Mark Quiner, Assistant Director

 

Others Present at Meeting

Wyoming Water Development Office: Mike Besson, Director

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 (August 24, 2006)

The Select Water Committee and the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) went on a water tour beginning at 8 a.m. in the Cody area.  The tour included the Buffalo Bill Dam and Reservoir as well as other water projects and potential sites in the Cody area.  Appendix 2 provides a schedule of the tour.

 

Call To Order (August 25, 2006)

Chairman Anderson called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 3 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

 

Approval of Minutes

Senator Vasey moved that the minutes from the June 9, 2006 Committee meeting be approved with no changes.  The motion passed.

 

Coalbed Natural Gas Water Use Task Force

Representative Pat Childers, Chairman of the Task Force, gave a brief update on the work of the Task Force.  He indicated there were many agricultural-related issues heard to date.  The Task Force is attempting to determine what role various state agencies will play in the regulation of coalbed water including the State Engineer and the Department of Agriculture.  Anyone interested can review the minutes of the Task Force on the Governor's website.

 

Planning Study Amendments & Contracts

Mr. Mike Besson, Director of the Wyoming Water Development Office (WWDO) and various WWDO staff explained the following project planning document:

 

• Glenrock Well & Tank, Level II

 

Following discussion the Select Water Committee approved the amendment.

 

Miscellaneous Items

 

Construction Amendments

The Water Development Commission (WWDC) approved the Squaw Creek, Groundwater Grant, Amendment II; the Upton Groundwater Grant, Final Amendment; and the Ranchester Storage Tank Amended Project Agreement.

 

Water Value Study

The WWDC approved the payment of services provided to date and requested a final recommendation at its next meeting.

 

Contract retainage

Mr. Travis Conklin of Cody, provided information on the retainage amounts required by WWDC for contractors who provide work for the WWDC.  The retainage can be an administrative burden for some of the small contractors.  Following discussion, WWDC decided to keep the 10% retainage amounts.

 

Bear River Project

Representative Petersen thanked the WWDC for the work on the Bear River project, and thanked the WWDO staff for the excellent water tour yesterday.

 

Wellhead protection

Mr. Besson explained the danger of contaminating aquifers if wellheads are not properly protected.  Commissioner Floyd Field provided in-depth information on the previous work done regarding environmental policies for wellhead protection.

 

Mr. John Wagner of the Department of Environmental Quality, provided further information on the environmental policies and programs from the agency standpoint.

 

Commissioner Geving

Chairman Anderson officially thanked Commissioner Dick Geving and his wife for hosting the dinner at the Mooncrest Lodge on Thursday evening.

 

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Chairman Anderson adjourned the meeting at 11 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Representative Rodney "Pete" Anderson, Chairman