Committee Meeting Information

October 3, 2007

Chief's Tech Center Auditorium

Wyoming Indian High School

Ethete, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Representative Rodney “Pete” Anderson, Co-Chairman

Senator Gerald E. Geis, Co-Chairman

Senator Pat Aullman

Senator Rae Lynn Job

Senator Drew Perkins

Senator Chuck Townsend

Senator Bill Vasey

Representative Stan Blake

Representative Ross Diercks

Representative Owen Petersen

Representative Lorraine Quarberg

 

Committee Members Absent

Representative Frank Philp

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Maxine Weaver, Staff Attorney

Alex Kean, Associate Research Analyst

 

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.

 

 

Executive Summary

The Committee toured water projects and structures on the Wind River Reservation and heard discussion on various water topics concerning the Wind River Reservation.

 

Call To Order (October 2, 2007)

The Select Water Committee and the Select Committee on Tribal Relations went on a water tour beginning at 1:00 p.m. on the Wind River Reservation.  The tour included the Arapaho treatment facility, the Coolidge canal structure, the Fort Washakie well and water treatment facilities and Bull Lake.  Appendix 2 provides a schedule of the tour.  Appendix 4 includes materials provided for the tour.

 

Call To Order (October 3, 2007)

This meeting was held in conjunction with the Select Committee on Tribal Relations for the State‑Tribal Summit.  Co-Chairman Anderson called the State-Tribal Summit to order at 8:30 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 3 to review the State-Tribal Summit Agenda.

 

Approval of Minutes

Co-Chairman Geis moved that the minutes from the August 23 and 24, 2007 Committee meeting be approved with no changes.  Representative Quarberg seconded the motion and the motion passed.

 

Co-Chairman McOmie welcomed everyone to this first State-Tribal Summit.  The opening blessing was provided by Burton Hutchinson, Northern Arapaho Tribal Elder.  Co-Chairman McOmie had everyone in attendance introduce themselves.

 

Co-Chairman Anderson, Senator Vasey, Kip Crofts with the Governor's Office and Orville St. Clair, Eastern Shoshone Business Councilman gave opening statements and provided an overview and expectations for the Summit. 

 

Water Panel

Co-Chairman Case moderated a panel consisting of Mike Purcell, Director of the Wyoming Water Development Office; Pat Tyrrell, State Engineer; John Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager for the Bureau of Reclamation; Mr. St. Clair, Shoshone; Bill Russell, Tribal Water Engineer; Sandra C'Bearing, Arapaho Co-Chairman of Wind River Water Resources Control Board and Edward Lonefight, Superintendent with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  The panel presented historical background, discussed problems with water on the reservation, provided information on the progress of water projects, looked at issues relating to downstream water, including Montana and addressed challenges facing water on the Wind River Reservation [Appendices 5 through 9]. 

 

Following a wrap up of the Wednesday's events by Senator Rae Lynn Job and Gary Collins, Arapaho Tribal Liaison, the Select Water meeting was adjourned.  After adjournment, a traditional dinner followed by cultural dancing was held at the Wyoming Indian High School. 

 

Meeting Adjournment

The next meeting is scheduled for November 7 through 9, 2007 in Casper as a joint meeting with the Wyoming Water Development Commission.  The following meeting for the Select Water Committee will be January 15, 2008 in Cheyenne.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Representative Rodney "Pete" Anderson, Co-Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix		Appendix Topic		Appendix Description		Appendix Provider
1		Committee Sign-In Sheet		Lists meeting attendees		Legislative Service Office
2		Water Tour		Provides a list of sites for the water tour		Legislative Service Office
3		Water Tour		Notebook for Water Tour		Legislative Service Office
4		State-Tribal Summit		Provides an outline of the topics the Committee planned to address at meeting		Legislative Service Office
5		Water Panel		PowerPoint - Projects and Studies Conducted on the Wind River Indian Reservation by the Wyoming Water Development Commission		Wyoming Water Development Office
6		Water Panel		PowerPoint – Presentation to the Select Committee on Tribal Relations		Wyoming State Engineer's Office
7		Water Panel		PowerPoint – Wind River Water Presentation		Joint Business Council – Water Task Force
8		Water Panel		CD – Our Water Our Future		Joint Business Council
9		Water Panel		Map – Surface Ownership on the Wind River Reservation, WY		Joint Business Council