Appropriations Committee approves re-referral of omnibus water bill with project funding

The Appropriations Committee on [date not specified] approved a do-pass recommendation on Senate File 82, an omnibus water bill referred from the Select Water Committee that includes new-development, rehabilitation and dam/reservoir accounts and a set of project appropriations.

Jason Mead, director of the Water Development Office, told the committee the bill packages recommendations from the Water Development Commission and Select Water Committee. He directed committee members to a brief summary and a “blue sheet” that lists recommended projects and appropriations.

Mead said the bill’s first block — the new development account — contains two projects totaling $534,998. The rehabilitation account includes three agricultural master plans totaling $980,000. A feasibility study in the dam and reservoir account near Lander is listed at $551,000. Mead stood for questions after reviewing the summary.

Committee members asked whether recent expenditures — including adjustments at La Breaux Dam — affected the ability to fund projects in the three accounts. Mead said the Water Development Office had about $20 million remaining in the new-development account and expected additional funding from mineral severance taxes in the coming years. He also noted the Board of Control and the State Engineer’s Office have in the past been funded from account 1 when revenues were tight, currently to the tune of about $9 million per year, which constrains project spending.

Mead described an earlier statewide study of aging irrigation infrastructure: participating entities reported roughly 1,600–1,700 structures in poor to very poor condition, and the top 30 projects in that survey were estimated at roughly $200 million–$300 million. He said, overall, the scale of deferred replacement work statewide could amount to billions of dollars and that the state is seeking to leverage federal grant funding and sponsor applications to stretch limited state dollars.

There was no public comment on the bill. The committee moved to pass; Ms. Childress recorded a roll-call vote with all members present voting aye (7–0). The committee noted the bill had a do-pass recommendation from the originating committee and that subsequent handling would be by the originating committee.

The committee closed public comment and returned to other agenda items.

Votes at a glance Senate File 82 — Do pass (committee): 7 aye, 0 no.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are listed in the speaker roster below.