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Heated hearing on bill to limit state ownership of water rights and set a deadline for water court adjudication
Summary
House Bill 676 would prevent state trust lands from taking ownership of private groundwater rights used on adjacent private land, require sale of certain landlocked trust parcels to lessees, and set a fixed end date for the water court's adjudication process. Proponents argued the bill protects private property and leaseholders; opponents — the
Representative Brandon Lear and water-rights proponents told the committee HB 676 would protect private water-right holders from having the state claim ownership of a water right if the well and diversion are located on private land even though water is used for an adjacent state trust lease. "Right now in the state, the land board has the ability to take private water from the water right holder that is being used on state land and make it a state water right. What this bill aims to do is end that," Lear said.
Supporters including the Senior Ag Water Rights Alliance, Rocky Mountain Stockgrowers and a lineup of ranchers and leaseholders…
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