2002

State of Wyoming

02LSO-0323.W2

 

 

 

WORKING DRAFT

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL NO.      

 

 

Omnibus water bill-planning.

 

Sponsored by:

 

 

A BILL

 

for

 

AN ACT relating to water development projects; authorizing specified Level I and Level II studies and providing appropriations; providing definitions; requiring reports; providing for reversion of unexpended funds; and providing for an effective date.

 

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

 

[2002-2003 WATER PROGRAM]

[DEFINITIONS]

 

Section 1.  Definitions.

 

(a)  As used in this act:

 

(i)  "Commission" means the Wyoming water development commission created by W.S. 41-2-117;

 

(ii)  "Hold project" means a project which has had a previous legislative funding authorization for a study at the same level authorized by this act, but has been placed on hold status as a result of outstanding issues which warrant limiting future expenditures until the issues are resolved.  Hold status serves to document commission or sponsor interest in a project subject to resolution of issues;

 

(iii)  "Water development account I" means the account created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(i);

 

(iv)  "Water development account II" means the account created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(ii).

 

[AUTHORIZED LEVEL I AND LEVEL II STUDIES]

 

Section 2.  LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT.  The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I to the commission to be expended to conduct the following reconnaissance studies as defined in W.S. 41-2-114.  Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the reconnaissance study for any other project listed in this section.  Appropriated funds not expended prior to July 1, 2004, shall revert to water development account I.  The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2004 legislative session.

 

[LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES - NEW DEVELOPMENT]

 

PROJECT                    LOCATION         APPROPRIATION

 

Baggs Master Plan          Carbon County              $ 40,000

Green River ASR            Sublette County              50,000

And Alternate Storage

Powder River Water Supply  Natrona County               40,000

South Garden Creek Water   Natrona County               75,000

Supply            

University of Wyoming      Statewide                  200,000

Research

 

Total appropriation for Section 2                    $405,000

 

Section 3.  LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES - REHABILITATION.  The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account II to the commission to be expended to conduct the following reconnaissance studies as defined in W.S. 41-2-114. Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the reconnaissance study for any other project listed in this section. Appropriated funds not expended prior to July 1, 2004, shall revert to water development account II. The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2004 legislative session.

 

[LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES -

REHABILITATION]

 

PROJECT                LOCATION         APPROPRIATION

 

Alta Master Plan           Teton County               $50,000

Hot Springs State Park, Big                          Hot Springs County   50,000

Springs Study

Ranchester Master Plan     Sheridan County            75,000

Saratoga Master Plan Update                          Carbon County   60,000

Tensleep/Hyattville MasterWashakie/Bighorn Co.       75,000

Plan

Wagner Cherokee IrrigationCarbon County              40,000

Master Plan

York/South Side Ditch      Sheridan County            60,000

Master Plan

 

 Total appropriation for Section 3                  $410,000

 

Section 4.  LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT.  The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I to the commission to be expended to conduct the following feasibility studies as defined in W.S. 41-2-114.  Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete the study may, subject to the review of the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the feasibility study for any other project listed in this section.  Appropriated funds not expended prior to July 1, 2004, shall revert to water development account I.  The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2004 legislative session.

 

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES - NEW DEVELOPMENT]

 

PROJECT                   LOCATION         APPROPRIATION

 

Big Horn Regional Water    Hot Springs,Washakie,      $675,000

Supply                     Big Horn Counties

Buffalo Tank               Johnson County               50,000

Cheyenne Hydropower 1.     Laramie County               60,000

Coal Bed Methane ASR       Campbell County            510,000

Dayton Groundwater         Sheridan County            460,000

Greybull Raw Water         Big Horn County              50,000

Greybull Valley ID         Park,Big Horn Counties       60,000

Hydropower 1.

Irrigation Hydropower 1.   Park, Big Horn Counties      50,000

Lander Paleozoic Well      Fremont County               40,000

Little Snake River Dams    Carbon County                80,000

Lovell ID Hydropower 1.    Big Horn County              60,000

North Alpine Water         Lincoln County               60,000

Supply 2.

Pinedale Hydropower 1.     Sublette                     40,000

Pine Haven Well            Crook                      575,000

Sheridan Hydropower 1.     Sheridan                     50,000

Viva Naughton              Lincoln                    300,000

Enlargement

Hold Projects*             Statewide                   15,000

Total appropriation for

Section 4                                            $3,135,000

 

1. Hydropower study project sponsors must execute a project agreement with the commission that stipulates that the cost of the study shall be repaid, with interest at a rate of seven and one-quarter percent (7.25%), when power facilities described in the study are constructed.  Interest shall accrue when construction is completed and power revenues are earned by the sponsor.  If the power facilities are not constructed, the sponsor will not be required to pay for the cost of the study.

 

2. The sponsor must first acquire ownership of the existing water system before the study can begin.

 

*Hold projects include:  Blackwillow, North Alpine, Rock Springs East, Sinclair, Bridger Valley and Hawk Springs Water Supply Projects, Crow Creek Groundwater Recharge, Goshen Reregulating Reservoir, Middle Fork Dam, North Cheyenne, Smith's Fork Dam, and Bump Sullivan Reservoir Enlargement Projects.

 

Section 5.  LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES-REHABILITATION.  The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account II to the commission to be expended to conduct the following feasibility studies as defined in W.S. 41-2-114. Funds appropriated under this section for a particular project which are in excess of the actual amount necessary to complete  the  study  may, subject  to  the  review  of  the select water committee, be expended by the commission to complete the feasibility study for any other project listed in this section. Appropriated funds not expended prior to July 1, 2004, shall revert to water development account II. The commission shall submit a report to the legislature on each of the following studies prior to the 2004 legislative session.

 

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES - REHABILITATION]

 

PROJECT                   LOCATION         APPROPRIATION

 

Byron Raw Water Supply     Big Horn County            $40,000

Green River Supply Canal   Sublette County            200,000

Hidden Valley Pipeline     Fremont County             100,000

Highline Canal             Big Horn County              50,000

Lake DeSmet Master Plan and                          Johnson, Sheridan,   100,000

Reservoir Rehabilitation   Campbell Counties

Plan

LeClair Laterals           Fremont County               50,000

Riverton Valley Rehab #II,Fremont                      40,000

Phase II

West Side Canal, Jon’s Drop                          Carbon      25,000

And Four-mile Flume

Total appropriation for Section 5                    $605,000

 

Section 6.  Contingent upon the availability of United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation matching funds, there is appropriated one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) from water development account I to the Wyoming water development office to meet the state’s proportionate share of the contract expense for the conservation staff position for fiscal year 2003 and fiscal year 2004.

 

Section  7.  W.S. 41-2-119 is amended to read:

41-2-119.  Groundwater studies.

 

(a)  The Wyoming water development commission may grant not to exceed three million dollars ($3,000,000.00)four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000.00)  to incorporated cities and towns, water and sewer districts and improvement and service districts in Wyoming for exploration for and feasibility studies of the use of underground water for municipal and rural domestic purposes, not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)  for any one (1) exploration or study.  The grants shall be made from revenues from water development account I and those revenues are hereby so appropriated.  Any city or town receiving a grant pursuant to this section shall provide at least ten percent (10%)twenty-five percent (25%)  of the cost of the exploration or study from its own funds.  The commission shall adopt rules and regulations governing application procedures for the grants.

 

(b)  The commission may expend not to exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) from revenues from water development account Itwo million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000.00) from the funds appropriated under subsection (a) of this section for exploration and for feasibility studies of the use of underground water for municipal and rural domestic purposes subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)  The exploration or study shall be conducted in conjunction with an incorporated city or town, water and sewer district or service and improvement district in Wyoming under an agreement;

 

(ii)  Not more than two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)  in state funds shall be expended for any one (1) exploration or study under this subsection;

 

(iii)  The incorporated city or town shall provide at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the cost of the exploration or study from funds other than under this subsection;

 

(iv)  The incorporated city or town, water and sewer district, or improvement and service district shall apply for participation in this program under procedures established by rules and regulations adopted by the commission.

 

Section 8.  This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

 

(END)