FIFTY-SEVENTH WYOMING LEGISLATURE

APPROVED INTERIM COMMITTEE STUDIES

2004 INTERIM

 

 

 

JOINT AGRICULTURE, PUBLIC LANDS AND WATER RESOURCES INTERIM COMMITTEE

Initial Approved Budget: $20,000

 

 

Topic #1:            Agriculture issues including:

 

(a)            Animal Diseases;

1.            Arthropod-borne animal disease research laboratory;

2.            Long term quarantines;

3.            Livestock board's structure;

(b)            Predators;

(c)            Animal identification;

(d)            Private property access;

(e)            Veterinary technicians.

 

The department of agriculture is asking for support for a new $100 million arthropod-borne animal disease research laboratory for researching and dealing with diseases such as West Nile, Brucellosis, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), chronic wasting and potential bio-terrorism.  The livestock board wants the committee to address costs associated with long term quarantines relating to some of these diseases, such as feed costs.  The committee has been asked to look at the livestock board structure and the efficiency of its staff. 

 

The Wyoming Wool Growers Association has concerns about the current situation of predators in the state and the effects predators have on the livestock industry, the wildlife resources and the state's economy and they will provide the committee with completed research regarding current statutes.  The livestock board has concerns about proposed national animal identification systems, including control and misuse of various systems.  The Wyoming Stock Growers Association has concerns about increasingly sophisticated technologies allowing both governmental and non-governmental entities to gather information about private property without securing access permission from the private property owner.  The committee was asked to review the statutes and consider providing for licensing of veterinary technicians who demonstrate competency to work under the supervision of veterinarians.  The committee will review or request any information necessary to its discussions and will determine if any possible solutions are available or if potential legislative changes are required.

 

Topic #2:           Public Lands issues including:

 

(a) Self-funded Trust for Management of State Lands;

(b)                  Statewide Land Use Management Plan.

 

The board of land commissioners and the office of state lands and investments have asked the committee to consider 1) the idea that management of the state trust assets should be based, at least in part, on a "cost based management" analysis; and 2) administration of the trust assets, by and through the office of state lands and investments, could be "self-funded."  The Wyoming Stock Growers Association has concerns regarding the federal land use planning and its effect on Wyoming resources, including water rights, timber and grazing.  The committee will review or request any information necessary to its discussions and will determine if any possible solutions are available or if potential legislative changes are required.

 

Topic #3:         Water Resources issues including:

 

(a)      Electronic permitting;

(b)      Health of Watersheds;

(c)  A review of the Small Water Impoundments.

 

The state engineer's office has asked the committee to consider any necessary statutory changes to allow the state engineer's office to handle electronic permitting.  The state forester has concerns that with the dramatic increase of insects throughout the state coupled with continued drought and the potential for large scale fires, that many watersheds in the state are at risk.  The committee will ask the US Forest Service to expand its annual forest health report to include a discussion on the health of the forests and watersheds.  The Wyoming Wool Growers Association has concerns about the construction of multiple dam structures built in the same drainages and the potential for catastrophic events causing failure of these multiple structures.  The state engineer's office will provide information as necessary to the committee.  The committee will review or request any information necessary to its discussions and will determine if any possible solutions are available or if potential legislative changes are required.


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