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Minutes for SB194 - Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Short Title
Amending groundwater management district water user charges.
Minutes Content for Wed, Jan 31, 2018
Chairperson Kerschen opened the hearing on SB194.
Tamera Lawrence of the Revisor of Statutes Office explained how issues concerning the bill had been resolved by adding several balloon amendments to the original bill.(Attachment1)
Tim Boese spoke in support of the bill. He said that this will revise a 16 year old law and increase the statutory water assessment cap. He believes that if SB194 is not successful, the District will be forced in the near future to eliminate a number of groundwater management and monitoring programs, public education activities and customer services.(Attachment 2)
Sean Miller spoke in favor the the bill. He pointed out that each groundwater management district in the state is different. They are faced with unique challenges and opportunities in the long term management of their water resources. Each groundwater management plan allows for locally elected boards to develop water management plans to protect and extend this valuable resource in ways best suited to their specific area. (Attachment 3)
Written testimony in favor of the bill was submitted by :
Orrin Ferrel with Big Bend Groundwater Management District #5 (Attachment 4)
Susan Metzger with Kansas Department of Agriculture(Attachment 5)
Kent Askren with Kansas Farm Bureau(Attachment 6)
Joe Pajor with the city of Wichita(Attachment 7)
After some discussion, Chairperson Kerschen closed the hearing on SB194.
