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s_agr_2016a_2016-03-10t13:32:00z3 Hearing Summary

Date: 03/10/2016



Final

BILL SUMMARY for SB16-061



SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY


Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.003. The motion passed without o

Adopt amendment L.004. The motion passed without o

Refer Senate Bill 16-061, as amended, to the Commi
Pass Without Objection

Pass Without Objection

PASS







03:24 PM -- SB 16-061



Senator Cooke and Senator Sonnenberg, co-prime sponsors, described the provisions of SB16-061 concerning ratepayer protection from carbon dioxide increased cost. They also distributed Amendment L.003 (Attachment E) and Amendment L.004 (Attachment F) and the preamended bill that includes these amendments (Attachment G). This bill requires the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to create a Ratepayer Protection program. The program is created to address the potential increased costs of compliance with the federal Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP). The program will be designed to cover these costs through reimbursement from the newly created Ratepayer Protection Fund rather than by utility customers. The fund is to be financed by annual appropriations from the existing Stationary Sources Control Fund (SSCF).



160310 AttachE.pdf160310 AttachE.pdf160310 AttachF.pdf160310 AttachF.pdf160310 AttachG.pdf160310 AttachG.pdf



The following persons testified on the bill:



03:35 PM --
Devin Bazata, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee about his opposition to the bill and alternative energy sources.



03:39 PM --
Martha Rudolph, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, spoke in opposition to the bill and discussed the regulation of air pollution by the Air Quality Control Division. She also spoke in opposition to Amendment L.003 and responded to questions from the committee about the department's opposition to the bill, potential impact of the CPP on ratepayers, and other issues.



03:55 PM --
J.R. Tolbert, Advanced Energy Economy, spoke in opposition to the bill and discussed the importance of Colorado's advanced energy economy. He also discussed potential cost saving of advanced energy technologies for ratepayers.



03:58 PM --
Erin Overturf, Western Resource Advocates, spoke in opposition to the bill. She also responded to questions from the committee about the cost of renewable energy, sources of air pollution in the Denver metropolitan area, the U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning the CPP, and other issues.



03:59 PM



Senator Sonnenberg distributed a November 13, 2015 Grenwire article that included comments of Governor Hickenlooper concerning the cost of complying with CCP (Attachment H).



160310 AttachH.pdf160310 AttachH.pdf



04:06 PM --
Maggie Rose, representing herself, explained that she is a student at the University of Colorado and spoke in opposition to the bill.



04:08 PM --
Anna Elise Smith, representing herself, explained that she is a student at the University of Colorado and spoke in opposition to the bill.



04:10 PM --
Susan Nedell, Environmental Entrepreneurs, spoke in opposition to the bill.



04:13 PM --
Tyler Svitak, American Lung Association, spoke in opposition to the bill and responded to questions from the committee about the health impacts of air pollutants.



04:20 PM --
Dianna Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in support of the bill and expressed concern about the impact of CPP on ratepayers and coal producing communities. She also responded to questions from the committee about the cost of renewable energy compared to the cost of power generated using fossil fuels and the U.S. Supreme Court stay on the CPP.



04:29 PM --
Michael Sandoval, Independence Institute, spoke in support of the bill and distributed an Energy Policy Center Report on electricity rates in Colorado (Attachment I). He also responded to questions from the committee about factors affecting Colorado's electricity rates.



160310 AttachI.pdf160310 AttachI.pdf



04:37 PM



The chair closed testimony on the bill.


BILL: SB16-061
TIME: 04:38:06 PM
MOVED: Cooke
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.003. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Cooke
Donovan
Garcia
Hodge
Jones
Scott
Roberts
Sonnenberg
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection




BILL: SB16-061
TIME: 04:38:53 PM
MOVED: Cooke
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.004. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Cooke
Donovan
Garcia
Hodge
Jones
Scott
Roberts
Sonnenberg
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection





04:37 PM



Senator Sonnenberg and Senator Cooke closed their remarks on the bill. The committee also made closing comments on the bill.




BILL: SB16-061
TIME: 04:49:17 PM
MOVED: Cooke
MOTION: Refer Senate Bill 16-061, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 5-4.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Cooke
Yes
Donovan
No
Garcia
No
Hodge
No
Jones
No
Scott
Yes
Roberts
Yes
Sonnenberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS









04:51 PM



The committee adjourned.




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