Video & Transcript : 'nonpotable water' :
Page 83 of 500
DE
Transcript Highlights:
- supply that your water is coming from.
- valves on water meters.
- valves on water meters.
- And check valves, when the water pressure goes low, the check valve closes down and stops the water from
- , and a number of boil water notices.
Summary:
The committee met in hybrid format, approved the June 24 and June 25, 2026 minutes, and then heard several bills and a joint resolution. On House Bill 382 with House Amendment 2, Senator Hoffer explained the measure as a technical correction to prior rental-car and peer-to-peer car-sharing law that would clarify when loss-of-use damages may be recovered while preserving recovery for intentional, willful, or criminal conduct. Avis Budget Group and Enterprise Mobility supported the bill, saying it resolved ambiguity and restored limited common-law recovery, while Allstate and Toro opposed it, arguing the bill could reintroduce unfair and unpredictable fees and leave too much discretion to rental companies. No vote was taken in the transcript, and Senator Townsend said he still had questions about how the bill would operate.
The committee then considered House Bill 476, a Frederica charter change that would reduce town council meetings from twice monthly to monthly and make ordinances effective immediately unless otherwise stated. Representative Postles presented it as a simple, noncontroversial change, though members noted Senator Buckson, the Senate sponsor, was not present at the time. No public comment was offered on that bill. The committee also heard House Joint Resolution 13, which directs the Department of Labor to study a Delaware health care apprenticeship degree program and report recommendations; the Delaware Health Care Association supported the resolution and urged coordination with existing workforce efforts.
Finally, the committee heard House Bill 458 with House Amendment 1 on backflow devices in low-hazard buildings. Senator Pardee said the bill would exempt residences and office-type buildings from costly backflow retrofits until regulations are updated, and DHSS said the current regulations do not clearly define low hazard but that the bill’s list of exempted buildings would not raise immediate public health concerns. The Delaware Association of Realtors supported the bill, arguing the regulations were overbroad and costly, while the Delaware Rural Water Association opposed it, warning that weakening backflow protections could threaten drinking water and aquifers. The committee then adjourned without any recorded votes on the substantive bills in the transcript.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Environment and Natural Resources Feb 3rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- That is Senate Bill 1422 on surface waters by Senator Garcia.
- Management District staff discussing exportation of potable water from the Water Management District
- Very clearly, they did not have the water then. Amen.
- Water, into their stormwater, into their industrial water, and then treating that in some waste pond
- We are the water. We are your fresh water. We are their fresh water.
Summary:
The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met with a quorum present and took up several environmental bills and one confirmation. First, the committee considered SB 1422 on surface waters, which was amended with a strike-all focused on coral reef protection and designation of coral reefs as critical natural infrastructure. Senator Garcia described the amendment as a way to support restoration, disaster resilience, and access to federal funding; Audubon Florida waived in support. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported CS for SB 1422 favorably.
The committee next considered SPB 7034, a DEP rule ratification concerning the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee River minimum flows and levels and recovery strategy. Senator Rodriguez explained the rule would replace prior MFLs and allow longer permits, while opponents from the Florida Springs Council and local river advocates argued the plan relies too heavily on one future wastewater reuse project, delays restoration, and lacks a clear funding source. DEP and JEA waived in support. After debate, the committee approved the motion to submit the proposal as a committee bill; the measure was favorably reported, with Senator Smith voting no.
The committee then heard SB 1510 on DEP-related matters, as amended. The strike-all addressed Outstanding Florida Springs B-MAP mediation plans, septic system upgrades where sewer is unavailable, rural cost-share eligibility, notice to property owners, rulemaking procedures, and land acquisition governance, while removing biosolids and fee provisions. Florida Springs Council opposed the 60-day delay for B-MAP effectiveness, saying it could slow restoration and allow more conventional septic systems to be installed before stricter requirements take effect. DEP and others supported the bill. The committee reported CS for SB 1510 favorably. It also heard SB 1196 on waste facilities, which would prohibit new ash-producing incinerators and waste-to-energy facilities within two miles of certain federally authorized water impoundment areas, with an amendment narrowing the bill to Miami-Dade and Broward County. Supporters, including the City of Miramar, said it would protect water resources and Everglades restoration; opponents from the Florida Waste-to-Energy Coalition warned it would limit local solid waste options and could force more landfilling. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS for SB 1196 favorably.
Finally, the committee considered SB 912 on battery collection and recovery, establishing a battery stewardship program and requiring producers and retailers to join a stewardship organization by 2028. Supporters from the battery industry and recycling sector said the bill would reduce fires and keep batteries out of the waste stream. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS for SB 912 favorably. The committee also recommended confirmation of Gary Jennings to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and then adjourned.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- All I have to do is report my water use. I don't have to measure how much I water.
- And there's been a longtime fear that on underground water that I'm going to take your water away if
- I would love to have a bill that wouldn't stop all outside out-of-state water users from pulling water
- , what measures are we having to clean water before it's returned to the water table?
- brine, back into the water table, but is are we, do we have here, an opportunity to treat the water
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation Feb 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Quarters of Californians get their water through the State Water Project, and we have to help that be
- So with respect to drinking water, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act
- A total of $880 million to both water resilience and drinking water projects have gone out the door.
- That's on the drinking water and water quality side, on the water supply side in terms of recycled water
- State Water Resource Control Board's Programs for Tanks and Hulled Water, Drinking Water for Schools
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy Feb 26th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- So the water agencies that benefit, that get water from the State Water Project, are those that are investing
- Our State Water Project... Our State Water Project, south of the Delta, needs help.
- One is there's no silver bullet for water reliability and water resilience.
- So they don't use more water, but they obstruct water. They obstruct water, correct.
- So do they operate in salt water? Do they live in salt water?
Summary:
The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy convened for its first hearing and heard an overview from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Natural Resources Agency. The LAO emphasized California’s strong current revenues but warned of a structural budget problem, projected out-year deficits, and the need for a high bar on new spending. It generally supported the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plan as reasonable and consistent with bond requirements, while urging legislative oversight and caution about using special funds and adding ongoing commitments. Secretary Wade Crowfoot responded with an overview of climate, wildfire, water, coastal, and conservation challenges and highlighted progress under the Newsom administration, including clean energy growth, wildfire resilience investments, land conservation, tribal co-management, and outdoor access initiatives. He also discussed federal staffing cuts affecting California’s response capacity and said the state has had to fill gaps in flood forecasting, land management, and park access.
Members then questioned the secretary about the Delta conveyance tunnel and broader water reliability issues. Crowfoot said the project remains important, is being pursued as a beneficiary-pays project, and is moving through the State Water Resources Control Board’s permitting process, while also stressing that it is only one part of a broader water strategy that includes levee strengthening, subsidence, groundwater storage, recycling, and conservation. Senators also raised concerns about permitting delays, invasive species, and the impact of position cuts on agency capacity; Crowfoot said streamlining is needed but that staffing remains essential. The committee then moved to the Department of Parks and Recreation, where Director Armando Quintero described the state park system, tribal agreements, wildfire and deferred maintenance work, and outdoor access programs such as the State Library Park Pass and Adventure Pass. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed ongoing $6.75 million General Fund transfer for the library park pass, arguing it did not meet the high bar for new ongoing spending, but several senators strongly supported the program as a low-cost way to expand access.
Members also pressed Parks on reservation system problems and campsite no-shows. Department staff said they are updating website guidance, working with the reservation vendor, and implementing new no-show and reservation-modification rules effective July 1, including penalties for repeated no-shows and immediate reopening of vacant sites. The committee then heard a low-cost accommodations proposal, which Parks said would fund planning and construction at several sites using Proposition 68, reimbursements, and donations; the LAO said it had no concerns. Finally, the new director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Megan Hurdle, introduced herself and outlined the department’s mission, staffing, service-based budgeting, and Proposition 4 requests, including funding for salmon genetic tagging, hatchery repairs, and public access improvements. She said the department is focused on biodiversity, permitting streamlining, law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflict prevention, and noted that the agency is still updating its service-based budgeting analysis to identify gaps and priorities.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee Jun 16th, 2026 at 10:00 am
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- So if you're operating a light-water reactor, the steam coming out or the water coming out would be around
- The fuel would be rods in water.
- A consumptive use of water is water that is withdrawn.
- An acre-foot is the amount of water it would take to fill one acre of land with one foot of water.
- We need cheap power to pump water and make water affordable and abundant.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation May 19th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- An important component of that is the Water Board updating what's called the Bay-Delta Water Quality
- What's the Department of Water Resources role in both the Bay Delta Water Quality Control Program and
- An important component of that is the water board updating what's called the Bay Delta water quality
- Water Board enforces.
- conflict between environmental advocates and water agencies destroy our water sustainability.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- water levels and flood risk.
- It doesn't let that water flow.
- the water receded.
- National Water Model.
- These gauges measure both water level and velocity rather than water level alone.
Summary:
The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems.
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements.
Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- A $2 million appropriation to the Water Project Fund is an essential investment in water security, ensuring
- Your water projects, they started turning their applications over to the Water Trust Board.
- Ground, getting the humidity raised in those forests where we had flowing water and more access to water
- We know that water that goes beyond what we're watering ends up on sidewalks and into the street.
- It's a waste of the energy to get the water there. It's a waste of the water itself.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 03/11/25
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- Many venues already provide water.
- On site, they could allow attendees to bring in bottled water, or allow folks to bring in empty water
- Many venues do prohibit outside water and then charge really high prices for bottled water, so it's effectively
- </c> allows guests to bring a reusable water allows guests to bring a reusable water bottle<00:03:05.799
- </c> water yourself you could allow a water water yourself you could allow a water bottle<00:14:48.880
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
WTL Public Hearing 04-11-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- As the loyal water stewardship.
- </c> Commission on Water Resource Management. Commission on Water Resource Management.
- </c> Hannah Springer to serve as water Hannah Springer to serve as water commission<00:35:36.640><c>
- </c> knowledge currently lacking on the water knowledge currently lacking on the water commission.<00
- Water is culture.
Summary:
The Water and Land Committee held a hearing on several governor’s messages for confirmation to land and water-related boards and commissions. The first item was GM 745, confirming Nor Abbott to a second term on the Natural Area Reserves System Commission through June 30, 2029. DLNR and other supporters submitted testimony, and Abbott said his focus has been on watching for potential impacts to marine reserves from nearby land activity and helping ensure those impacts are avoided, minimized, or mitigated through a thorough process.
The committee then took up GM 783 and GM 762, both involving the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission. Fenton Pang and Jensen Chop were nominated for terms ending June 30, 2028 and June 30, 2029, respectively. Multiple individuals and organizations testified in strong support, including representatives of civic clubs, Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana, and other community groups. Testimony emphasized Pang’s scientific background, cultural values, humility, and service, and described Chop as a long-time Kahoʻolawe steward with strong ties to restoration work and the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana. Chop said his goal is to help more people build a connection to ʻāina and to continue restoration and cultural education efforts on Kahoʻolawe.
The final major item was GM 770, confirming Hannah Kihalani Springer to the Commission on Water Resource Management through June 30, 2028. DLNR strongly supported her nomination, describing her as a cultural expert and advocate who can ensure indigenous knowledge is meaningfully included in water policy. Testimony from community members, Earthjustice, Sierra Club, and others highlighted her experience, integrity, and role in protecting customary and traditional water rights, especially for place-based and Native Hawaiian communities. Supporters also said her appointment was important given current water and climate challenges. The chair indicated the committee would proceed to decision-making after the hearing, and no opposition was noted in the testimony summarized here.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- in water reuse and recycle.
- So what Nalco Water and Ecolab do is we help fabs reuse water as much as possible.
- And our goal is to continue to shrink that water footprint, so they use less and less water.
- So we work to save water, we work to save energy.
- is important for Arizona as we stretch the water.
Bills:
SB1041
Keywords:
electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, 1182, all
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- It's not anything against the water board or anybody else.
- All of this is left up to the water board.
- community because of aquifer levels and water quality issues.
- And again, it's all up to the Water Resources Board.
- And then the water ...or the Department of Defense is paying for it, and then the water right is owned
Summary:
The House Research and Conservation Committee met with a quorum and first approved four RS drafts for introduction and printing. The committee then took up RS 33185 C1, a proposal related to the Snake River-to-Mountain Home Air Force Base water pipeline and whether the state should seek user or rental payments from foreign military users of the base, particularly in light of planned expansion and training by wealthy foreign countries. The sponsor argued the state had already invested substantial general fund and ARPA money in the project and that the Water Resources Board should renegotiate to recover some costs; opponents said the pipeline and water right were negotiated in good faith to keep the base viable and that the issue of foreign training had been known for years.
Members raised questions about the original funding, the role of the federal government, and whether other utilities or infrastructure should also be considered. Several members spoke against the proposal, saying it would undermine prior agreements and could jeopardize the base’s long-term value and Idaho’s credibility in negotiations. A substitute motion to introduce RS 33185 C1 failed on a voice vote, and the committee then adopted the main motion to return the RS to the sponsor. The meeting adjourned afterward.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- It ensures our water is safe to drink.
- It ensures our water is safe to drink.
- We have nitrogen water quality.
- Clean water is a precious resource.
- I'm grateful for the parts of this bill that address water quality, water.
Summary:
The hearing focused on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s Mass Ready Act, a $3 billion environmental bond bill. Administration officials said the bill would fund climate resilience, clean water, land conservation, parks, PFAS remediation, food security infrastructure, and coastal and inland flood protection, while also streamlining permitting for housing, restoration, and other resilience projects. They emphasized that the bond authorizes spending but does not itself obligate it, and said the proposal includes deauthorizations as housekeeping. Committee members asked about the new Resilience Revolving Fund, flood and drought management, MVP funding, land acquisition, Chapter 61 right-of-first-refusal changes, salt marsh carbon sequestration, and how the bill would help smaller municipalities and offset expected federal funding losses. Officials said the revolving fund would be managed through EEA and the Clean Water Trust, with criteria aimed at directing aid to communities most in need, and noted that drought issues would continue to be handled through existing DEP and drought commission tools.
Several committee members and witnesses discussed specific policy provisions, including flood disclosure requirements for homebuyers and renters, expanded authority for regional planning and small-town access to grants, and permitting reforms that would exempt or expedite certain environmental restoration and priority housing projects from more time-consuming review processes. Administration witnesses defended the reforms as a way to achieve the same environmental outcomes faster and with more certainty, while some advocates argued the bill should go further, especially on Chapter 91 and restoration permitting. The administration also described investments in DCR facilities, water and wastewater systems, open space, agricultural easements, and a new focus on blue carbon and salt marsh restoration.
Public testimony largely supported the bill. Mass Audubon, the Trustees of Reservations, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, The Nature Conservancy, MAPC, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, municipal officials, and others praised the bill’s resilience, conservation, and water infrastructure investments. Some witnesses urged additional funding for land protection, coastal resilience, buyouts, and restoration, and several called for stronger or simpler permitting reforms. Municipal witnesses from Boston, Beckett, Beverly, Conway, and regional planning organizations stressed the need for flexible financing, especially for small and rural communities facing costly infrastructure and climate adaptation projects. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and asked questions before moving on to additional panels.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appr-Sub-Natural Resources REVISED Afternoon Jan 7th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Nov 18th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Pipeline that will deliver water to 250,000 people along the Navajo Gallup water pipeline.
- When it comes to water delivery and water treatment systems, which are fundamental to reusing in that
- water cycle.
- We do have to protect our waters.
- PFAS in their drinking water.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee Jun 30th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Water Project by 87% by 2040.
- Together, the State Water Contractors and public water agencies deliver water to about 27 million people
- Together, the state water contractors, public water agencies deliver water to about 27 million people
- Water District, in support.
- Did you get enough water agencies, sir? Not only water agencies, but environmentalists.
Summary:
The committee heard several wildlife and water-related bills. SB 872, by Senator McNerney, would create a Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund and allow waiver of local cost-sharing for Delta levee repairs to protect the State Water Project and Delta infrastructure. Supporters from water agencies, environmental groups, counties, and agricultural interests said the bill is needed to address levee failure and canal subsidence; there was no opposition, and the bill was held open until a quorum was present, with broad support expressed.
SB 1108, by Senator Caballero, would establish the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy in the Central Valley to coordinate conservation, habitat restoration, public access, and voluntary easements in a region described as the largest remaining wetland/grasslands complex west of the Mississippi. Support came from the Grasslands Water District, Audubon, conservation groups, and local stakeholders, who emphasized the area’s importance to migratory birds, wildlife corridors, and land-use transition under groundwater sustainability. There was no opposition, and the bill received favorable committee support.
SB 1135, by Senator Blakespear, would reestablish and strengthen the statewide wildlife coexistence program to reduce human-wildlife conflict through nonlethal deterrence, education, and compensation for livestock losses. Supporters cited rising wildlife incidents, wolf depredation, and the need for proactive tools; opponents and some committee members raised concerns about rural impacts, funding, and the absence of law enforcement/public safety as a specifically named advisory role. After discussion and amendments that moved the cattlemen and Farm Bureau to neutral, the bill passed out of committee on a due-pass motion, though some members voted no or abstained.
SB 1305, by Senator Richardson, would direct CDFW to study the feasibility of grizzly bear reintroduction and prepare a roadmap, with tribal consultation and stakeholder engagement, but would not itself authorize reintroduction. Tribal sponsors and conservation groups supported the bill as a planning and cultural restoration effort, while hunting, ranching, and county groups opposed it, arguing California already faces major wildlife-management and funding challenges and that the proposal would create new conflicts. Committee members debated costs, appropriations, and whether the study should include funding estimates; the bill was amended and passed on a due-pass motion. The committee also heard SB 1250, by Senator Cortese, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning; supporters said it would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity, and the bill was presented in support as the hearing continued.
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Mar 26th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- a driver and a skier, on all their public water.
- that water is supplied by an existing water district that can contract with them to provide the water
- from other water districts, uses roughly 100,000 gallons of water If they could not get water from other
- water districts, it uses roughly 100,000 gallons of water per year.
- Representative Raybould, on a closed-loop system, is the water re-injected, or what happens to the water
Summary:
The committee met without the chairman, with Senator Phil Hart presiding as vice chair, and considered four measures. House Bill 887, by Representative Mark Sauter, would allow water skiing with a driver and skier on open water rather than limiting it to a slalom course, while still requiring a mirror and a 9 a.m. cutoff. Sauter said the bill would align Idaho with several other states and help reduce congestion on the water. The committee took no public testimony and sent the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation on a voice vote.
House Bill 895, by Representative Britt Raybould, would restrict new data centers beginning construction after July 1, 2026 from using water for cooling as a consumptive use unless supplied by an existing water district under contract. Raybould described the bill as a response to growing water and energy concerns, explaining the difference between evaporative, hybrid, and closed-loop cooling systems and noting the large water use of some facilities. The Idaho Conservation League testified in support, saying the bill was a proactive step to protect water resources. The committee advanced the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
House Bill 939, by Representative James Petsky, codifies Fish and Game’s proposed hunting technology rules on thermal night vision, transmitting trail cameras, and drones, while adding exemptions for hunting wolves, mountain lions, and other predatory wildlife, agriculture uses, retrieving wounded animals, and monitoring property or traps. Petsky said the measure was a compromise supported by agriculture groups, Idaho sportsmen, and Idaho Wildlife Federation, though he acknowledged possible enforcement challenges and future revisions. Fish and Game and the Idaho Conservation League both testified, with the latter supporting the process but warning about enforceability and the need for continued consensus-building. The committee sent the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
The committee also considered House Joint Memorial 21, which urges action to support reopening a past-producing tungsten mine on private land near Patterson, Idaho, citing the mineral’s importance to national defense and concerns about foreign supply, especially from China. The sponsor said the mine is the only tungsten mine in the United States and that permitting is underway. After brief discussion, the committee approved the memorial and sent it to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- a driver and a skier, on all their public water.
- that water is supplied by an existing water district who can contract with them to provide the water
- from other water districts, uses roughly 100,000 gallons of water... ...could not get water from other
- water districts uses roughly 100,000 gallons of water per year.
- the water as it exits the facility?
Summary:
The committee began without the chairman present and heard four measures. House Bill 887, by Representative Sauter, would allow a skier and driver to water ski on open water in Idaho, rather than only on a slalom course, while keeping existing safety requirements and limiting the activity to before 9 a.m.; it was moved and sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 895, by Representative Raybold, would restrict new data centers beginning construction after July 1, 2026 from using consumptive water cooling unless supplied by an existing water district, encouraging closed-loop systems; after questions about water use and system types, it received support from the Idaho Conservation League and was also sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation.
House Bill 939, by Representative Petsky, would codify Fish and Game’s proposed restrictions on thermal night vision, transmitting trail cameras, and drone aircraft for hunting, while adding exemptions for hunting wolves, mountain lions, and other predatory wildlife, agricultural uses, retrieving wounded animals, and monitoring property and traps. Testimony was mixed: Idaho Farm Bureau and Idaho Conservation League both supported the bill, though ICL raised concerns about the process and enforcement, and committee members discussed possible future fixes. The bill passed the committee on a due pass motion, with one senator noting lingering concerns about private-versus-public property treatment of cameras.
The committee also considered House Joint Memorial 21, which urged quick action to reopen a past-producing tungsten mine near Patterson, Idaho, citing the mineral’s importance to national defense and dependence on foreign supply. The sponsor said the mine is on private land and is the only tungsten mine in the United States; after brief discussion, the memorial was sent to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The committee then adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
MN