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SF0037 • 2021

Omnibus water bill - planning.

AN ACT relating to water development projects; authorizing specified level I and level II studies; providing appropriations; requiring reports; providing for the reversion of unexpended funds; authorizing unobligated funds to be used to complete other designated projects as specified; extending reversion and study dates; transferring funds from water development account I to water development account II; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Water
Last action
2021-02-08
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
2/8/2021

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on how unspent funds are handled, so this claim was removed.

Water Development Planning Bill

This bill authorizes and funds studies to plan new water development projects in Wyoming.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes and provides funding for Level I (reconnaissance) and Level II (feasibility) studies for new water development projects.
  • Transfers $4 million from Water Development Account I to Water Development Account II.
  • Provides funding for the Office of Water Programs at the University of Wyoming.
  • Requires the Water Development Commission to report on funded studies before the 2023 legislative session.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Water Development Commission
  • Local water districts and municipalities in Wyoming

Terms To Know

Level I studies (reconnaissance)
Initial surveys that look at the basic needs for a new water project.
Level II studies (feasibility)
Detailed studies to see if a proposed water project is practical and beneficial.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much funding will be available beyond the initial appropriations.
  • It's unclear what happens if local districts do not obtain additional funding for specific rehabilitation projects as required by the bill.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0037SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water

Adopted

Plain English: This amendment removes lines 2 and 3 from page 5 of the bill.

  • Removes specific lines (lines 2 and 3) from page 5 of the bill.
  • The exact content removed is not provided, so it's unclear what information or provisions were in those lines.

Bill History

  1. 2021-02-08 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 11

  2. 2021-02-08 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0006

  3. 2021-02-05 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0006

  4. 2021-02-05 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0006

  5. 2021-02-04 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0006

  6. 2021-02-04 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-0-0-0

  7. 2021-02-03 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2021-02-02 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2021-02-02 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2021-02-02 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  11. 2021-02-02 House

    :Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  12. 2021-02-02 House

    H05 - Agriculture:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  13. 2021-02-01 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H05 - Agriculture

  14. 2021-02-01 House

    H Received for Introduction

  15. 2021-01-29 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 28-0-1-1-0

  16. 2021-01-29 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2021-01-28 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  18. 2021-01-27 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  19. 2021-01-27 Senate

    S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  20. 2021-01-27 Senate

    :Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations

  21. 2021-01-27 Senate

    S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  22. 2021-01-12 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture

  23. 2021-01-12 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  24. 2021-01-06 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 21LSO-0307
Bill No.:

SF0037

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

21LSO-0307

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0006

Chapter No.:

11

Prime Sponsor:

Select Water Committee

Catch Title:

Omnibus water bill - planning.

Subject:

Provides authorization and funding for water development program studies.

Summary/Major Elements:

The bill authorizes and provides funding for specified Wyoming Water Development Program reconnaissance (Level I) and feasibility (Level II) studies.

The bill amends prior reconnaissance and feasibility studies.

The bill transfers four million dollars ($4,000,000.00) from Water Development Account I to Water Development Account II.

The bill provides funding for the Office of Water Programs within the University of Wyoming.

Comments:

See also the companion bill, House Bill 0044, Omnibus water bill- construction.

The bill requires the Water Development Commission to provide a report to the legislature for each of the funded reconnaissance and feasibility studies.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0307

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0037

ENROLLED ACT NO. 6,

SENATE

SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session

AN ACT relating to water development projects; authorizing specified level I and level II studies; providing appropriations; requiring reports; providing for the reversion of unexpended funds; authorizing unobligated funds to be used to complete other designated projects as specified; extending reversion and study dates; transferring funds from water development account I to water development account II; and providing for an effective date.

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

[2021-2022 WATER PROGRAM]
[AUTHORIZED LEVEL I AND LEVEL II STUDIES]

Section 1
.

LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(i), to the water development 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 obligated prior to July 1, 2024 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 2023 legislative session:

[LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES - NEW DEVELOPMENT]

Project

Location

Appropriation

Hoback River Watershed

Sublette, Lincoln

Study

and Teton Counties

$277,000
Lander Water Master Plan

Fremont
County

$208,000
Nordic Ranches Water Master Plan

Lincoln
County

$63,000
Upton Water Master Plan

Weston
County

$153,000
Wheatland Water Master Plan

Platte
County

$125,000
Lake Hattie Reservoir Full

Utilization Study

Albany
County

$250,000
UW Water Research Program

Statewide

$283,454
Total appropriation for Section 1

$1,359,454

Section 2
.

LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(i), to the water development 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 obligated prior to July 1, 2024 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 2023 legislative session:

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES - NEW DEVELOPMENT]

PROJECT

LOCATION

APPROPRIATION

Big Horn Regional

Transmission

Washakie County

$146,000
Byron Rural Water Supply

Big Horn County

$127,000
Gillette Water System

Improvements

Campbell County

$150,000
Little Snake River Valley

Water Supply, Phase II

Carbon County

$163,000

Total appropriation for Section 2

$586,000

Section 3.

LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES – REHABILITATION
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account II, as created by W.S. 41
‑
2
‑
124(a)(ii), to the water development 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 obligated prior to July 1, 2024 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 2023 legislative session.

[LEVEL I RECONNAISSANCE STUDIES - REHABILITATION]

Project

Location

Appropriation

Highland Irrigation District

Master Plan

Sublette County

$192,000
Total appropriation for Section 3

$192,000

Section 4.

2020 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 150, Section 4 is amended to read:

Section 4.

LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – REHABILITATION
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account II, as created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(ii), to the water development 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
F
unds
appropriated to the Highland Hanover ID Pump Station project
not obligated prior to July 1, 2023 shall revert to water development account II.
Funds appropriated to the LaPrele Irrigation District Rehabilitation, Phase II project not obligated prior to July 1, 2024 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 2022 legislative session
on the Highland Hanover ID Pump Station study and prior to the 2023 legislative session on the LaPrele Irrigation District Rehabilitation, Phase II study
.

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES - REHABILITATION]

PROJECT

LOCATION

APPROPRIATION

Highland Hanover ID Pump

Station

Washakie County

$75,000

LaPrele Irrigation

District Rehabilitation,

Phase II

Converse County

$650,000
$4,950,000

Total
2020
appropriation for Section 4

$725,000

Total 2021 appropriation for Section 4

$4,300,000

Special conditions for the LaPrele Irrigation District Rehabilitation, Phase II study: The
LaPrele Irrigation District shall seek funding for the study from other sources. If the district obtains funding from any other source, the district shall, to the extent possible, reimburse the commission for any costs previously expended for the study from this appropriation. Reimbursed funds shall be deposited into water development account II. If the district obtains funding from another source but is unable to reimburse the commission, the district shall complete the study using funding from any other source before using funding appropriated under this section, provided funding appropriated under this section may be used for any cost share requirements upon approval of the commission and the select water committee.

Section 5.

2018 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 94, Sections 2 and 5 is amended to read:

Section 2.

LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – NEW DEVELOPMENT
. The following sums of money are appropriated from water development account I, as created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(i), to the water development 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
F
unds
appropriated to the GR-RS-SC JPWB Pump Station Sweetwater and Transmission,
Lander Test Well Study and Little Snake River Valley Municipal Water Supply projects
not obligated prior to July 1, 2021 shall revert to water development account I.

Funds appropriated to the Fontenelle Dam and Outlet Works Infrastructure Completion and the Glendo Reservoir Full Utilization Project projects not obligated prior to July 1, 2024 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 2020 legislative session
:

on the GR-RS-SC JPWB Pump Station Sweetwater and Transmission, Lander Test Well Study and Little Snake River Valley Municipal Water Supply studies and prior to 2023 legislative session on the Fontenelle Dam and Outlet Works Infrastructure Completion and the Glendo Reservoir Full Utilization Project studies.

[LEVEL I FEASIBILITY STUDIES - NEW DEVELOPMENT]

Project

Location

Appropriation

Fontenelle Dam and

Outworks
Outlet Works

Lincoln and

Infrastructure

Sweetwater

Completion

Counties

$750,000

Glendo Reservoir Full

Utilization Project

Platte
County

$750,000
GR-RS-SC JPWB Pump Station Sweetwater

and Transmission

County

$180,000

Lander Test Well Study

Fremont
County

$2,340,000

Little Snake River Valley

Municipal Water Supply

Carbon
County

$135,000

Total
2018
appropriation for Section 2

$4,155,000
Total 2021 appropriation for Section 2

$0

Section 5.

TIME EXTENSION FOR LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – DAMS AND RESERVOIRS
.
In the 2015 Omnibus water bill – planning, 2015 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 168, Section 5, the following sums of money were appropriated from water development account III, as created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(iii), to the water development commission to be expended to conduct the following feasibility studies as defined in W.S. 41-2-114. A three (3) year time extension is granted for
those feasibility studies
the Shell Valley Storage – Leavitt Reservoir project
and appropriated funds
for that project
not obligated prior to July 1, 2021 shall revert to water development account III.
A six (6) year time extension is granted for the Clear Creek Storage and Nowood River Storage – Alkali Cr. projects and funds appropriated for those projects but not

obligated prior to July 1, 2024 shall revert to water development account III.
The commission shall submit a report to the legislature
on each of the following studies
prior to the 2020 legislative session
:

on the Shell Valley Storage – Leavitt Reservoir project study and prior to the 2023 legislative session on the Clear Creek Storage and Nowood River Storage – Alkali Cr. studies.

[LEVEL II FEASIBILITY STUDIES – DAMS AND RESERVOIRS]

Project

Location

Appropriation

Clear Creek Storage

Johnson County

$700,000

Nowood River Storage –

Bighorn,

Alkali Cr.

Washakie

Counties

$4,000,000

Shell Valley Storage –

Big Horn

Leavitt Reservoir

County

$4,500,000

Total 2015 appropriation for Section 5

$9,200,000
Total 2018 appropriation for Section 5

$0
Total 2021 appropriation for Section 5

$0

Section 6.

The Wyoming water development commission is hereby authorized to transfer four million three hundred thousand dollars ($4,300,000.00) from water development account I created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(i) to water development account II created by W.S. 41-2-124(a)(ii) for the LaPrele Irrigation District Rehabilitation, Phase II study.

The appropriation of funds for the LePrele Irrigation District Rehabilitation, Phase II study in Section 4 of this act is contingent upon this transfer of funds to water development account II.

Section 7
.

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)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1