JOINT MINERALS, BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Standard Budget:     $47,500.00

Priority #: 1     Solid Waste Facilities.

The Committee will continue to study strategies and procedures to effectuate necessary remediation, closure, transfer, expansion and diversion activities at municipal solid waste landfills including:

a.         Determining the best possible long term funding model for remediation activities at municipal solid waste facilities;

b.         Pursuant to the 2013 Budget Bill (2013 HB001, HEA0045, Section 2, Section 021, Footnote 1) the merits of statutorily diverting a portion of funding for the leaking underground storage tank program to municipal solid waste remediation, transfer and closure activities.  The Committee shall report its recommendations to the Joint Appropriations Committee no later than November 15, 2013;

c.         Prioritization of landfill remediation and closure funding based on risk, resource allocation and other factors;

d.         Assisting the Department of Environmental Quality in implementing the Municipal Solid Waste Remediation Program and the Municipal Solid Waste Cease and Transfer Program.

Priority #: 2      State Action Plan for Energy, Environment and the Economy.

The Committee shall take testimony and develop background knowledge and legislation, if necessary, concerning issues related to energy, the environment and the economy including:

a.         The integration of the Governor's Energy Plan between the executive and legislative branches, institutes of higher education and the public sphere;

b.         The maintenance and expansion of both domestic and foreign markets for Wyoming energy products;

c.         Assist and expand current production of Wyoming energy products and develop new and future opportunities for those products;

d.         Baseline groundwater testing prior to certain energy development activities;

e.         Expansion of natural gas as a transportation fuel;

f.          Touring facilities which contribute to or enhance the energy, environment and the economy in Wyoming;

g.         Status of coalbed methane production and remediation activities;

h.  Pursuant to 2013 HB 217, consider whether legislation is appropriate for Wyoming to become an agreement state under the Atomic Energy Act.

Priority #: 3     Coordination between Committee and Assigned Agencies.

The Committee will study tactics to assist state agencies and instrumentalities of the state achieve operational and management efficiencies, while meeting or exceeding the agencys' mission objectives. To achieve this, the Committee will:

a.         Receive background information and testimony from the Departments of Workforce Services and Health on the recent structural and organizational changes to those departments;

b.         Explore the implementation of new technologies and strategies to provide new or enhanced services to the people of Wyoming;

c.         Receive testimony from the reporting agencies on their prior actions and current and future plans to increase operational efficiencies and enhance services.

Priority #: 4     Reports and Updates.

The Committee will receive and consider reports required by law and updates from various agencies, including but not limited to the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the Office of State Lands and Investments, Department of Environmental Quality, the School of Energy Resources, Wyoming Business Council, the Division of Banking, the Wyoming Pipeline Authority, the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority, the Energy Producing States Coalition, the Wyoming Geological Survey, the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources and Engineering Building Task Force, the Advanced Conversion Technologies Task Force and the Select Committee on Natural Resource Management.

Priority #  5 Agency Budget Review

The Committee will review proposed 2%, 4% and 6% budget cuts as submitted by the supervised agencies designated for the Committee's review last interim. [Study added by Management Council]

Tentative Meeting Schedule:

The Committee anticipates holding three (3), two (2) day meetings during the 2013 interim, potentially in Gillette, Casper and Cheyenne.