DRC LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

March 9, 2007

Please note:  DRC LOBBY DAY was postponed to Thursday, March 15 due to blizzard conditions.  We encourage members to come up to the Capitol and attend hearings and/or lobby legislators on a bill.  We will meet in the Capitol cafeteria at 7:30 a.m. central time for breakfast and a briefing of the day’s events.  It will be fun and educational!  Please call or email Mary in the Bismarck office if you plan to come, need a place to stay overnight or have questions: mary@drcinfo.com  or 701-224-8587.

 ACTION IN THE PAST WEEK:
Oil and Gas Bills

• HB 1511: DRC members Don Nelson, Keen and Tom Irgens, Springbrook testified before the Senate Natural Resources Committee favor of this bill. It requires that idle wells that have not produced oil or gas in paying quantities for one year to either be put back into production, properly temporarily abandoned or plugged and reclaimed. If one of those options is not completed, the well will be put on a single well bond equal to the actual cost of reclamation.

Renewable Energy Bills

• HB 1456: The Senate Natural Resources Committee recommended a “do pass on this bill.  DRC staff supported this bill in the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which would direct the PSC to study wind farm siting issues.

ACTION IN THE COMING WEEK:

Lobby Day, Thursday, March 15

HB 1229: (Committee work), Originally worded to restrict oil or gas wells from being drilled within 660 feet of a residence, it was amended to 500 feet. Aspects from a notification bill, HB 1182, were amended into HB 1229, which would require companies to notify owners of occupied dwellings ¼ mile from the proposed drilling sites of their intent to drill at least 20 days before applying for a permit.  DRC supports this bill but believes the distance should be 1mile. Senate Natural Resources Committee, Fort Lincoln Room, Thursday, March 15, 9 a.m.

SB 2278: (Sens. Wanzek, Heitkamp and Klein and Reps. Belter, Boe and D. Johnson), Would create a state repository within the ND Department of Health for political subdivision zoning information regarding concentrated animal feeding operations, and would prevent such regulations from being enforced until they are filed with the state.  DRC is monitoring this bill. House Agriculture Committee, Peace Garden Room, Thursday, March 15, 8:30 a.m.

HB 1483:  (Reps. Gulleson, Ekstrom, Mueller and Hawken and Sens. Erbele and Tallackson), Members may be interested in this bill, which would require the state to purchase environmentally preferable products whenever practical.  The bill was amended to contain an emergency clause.  Senate Political Subdivisions, Red River Room, 9:30 a.m.

HB 1420:  (Reps. Brandenburg, Aarsvold and Froelich and Sen. Erbele),  Originally, this bill would have prevented townships and counties from enacting any regulations pertaining to a confined animal feeding operation that relate to health or the environment, but it was amended to clarify current law. DRC is now monitoring the bill.  Senate Agriculture Committee, Roosevelt Park Room, Thursday, March 15, 9 a.m.

HCR 3061:  (Reps. Onstad, Boe, D. Johnson, Mueller, and Vig and Sen. Taylor)  Directs the legislative Council to study the financial and environmental impacts of confined animal feeding operations on property owners and communities and to recommend laws concerning siting and regulation.  DRC supports this study.  Senate Agriculture Committee, Roosevelt Park Room, Thursday, March 15, 9:30 a.m.

Friday, March 16:
HB 1124:  (Agriculture Committee at the request of the State Seed Commission).  DRC had opposed this bill, which was introduced at the request of the State Seed Commission.  Relieves the state from liability regarding the various qualities of seed and seed potatoes, including genetic identity, but not the vendor, was improved when it was amended to say that inspection means that the seed met the requirements of the seed department at the time of inspection.  DRC is now monitoring this bill.  Senate Agriculture Committee, Roosevelt Park Room, Friday, March 16, 10 a.m.