MINUTES 
                                           
                   SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES 
                            Wednesday, February 23, 2000 
                                     10:30 a.m. 
                           El Paso City Council Chambers 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Natural  
         Resources was held on Wednesday, February 23, 2000, in the El  
         Paso City Council Chambers 
          
                                       ***** 
                                           
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator J. E. "Buster" Brown, Chair     Senator Kenneth  
                                                 Armbrister 
         Senator Teel Bivins                     Senator Gonzalo  
                                                 Barrientos 
         Senator Tom Haywood                     Senator Bill Ratliff 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
                                           
                                       ***** 
                                           
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted. 
          
         Senator Lucio moved that the Minutes of the January 31st hearing  
         be approved. There being no objection, it was so ordered. 
          
         Senator Brown made opening remarks and the City of El Paso Mayor  
         Pro-Tempore, President Ortega, welcomed the Committee and  
         audience.  
          
         The following testified before the Committee: 
          
         Ed Archuleta, El Paso Water Utilities - El Paso Area Water  
         Issues. 
         Edd Fifer, El Paso County Water Improvement District - El Paso  
         Area Water Issues. 
         Cindy Cawley, Plateau UWCSD/Sutton County UWCD - Groundwater. 
         Janet Adams, Jeff Davis County UWCD - Groundwater. 
         Katy Hoskins, Culberson County Groundwater Conservation District  
         - Groundwater. 
         Kerr Mitchell, Presidio County UWCD - Groundwater. 
         Scott Holland, Irion County WCD & Sterling County UWCD -  
         Groundwater. 
         Thomas E. Martin, Joint Advisory Committee - Air Quality. 
         Jesus Reynoso, El Paso City-County Health & Environmental  
         District - Air Quality. 
  
         Dr. Laurance Nickey, U.S. Mexico Border Health Commission - Air  
         Quality. 
         Luis Salmeron, Gobierno Municipal de Juarez - Air Quality. 
         Leigh Ing, Texas Natural Resource Conervation Commission -  
         Low-level Radioactive Waste. 
         Veronica Carbajal, Paso del Norte Clean Cities Coalition - Air  
         Quality. 
         Edward Selig, Advocates For Responsible Disposal In Texas -  
         Low-level Radioactive Waste. 
         Susan Curry, self - Low-level Radioactive Waste. 
         Bill Addington, Sierra Blanca Legal Defense Fund - Low-level  
         Radioactive Waste. 
         Robert Geyer, self - Low-level Radioactive Waste. 
         William Stevens, West Central Texas Oil & Gas Association - Oil  
         & Gas. 
         Luis Ito, El Paso Electric Company - SB 7 Provisions. 
          
         Those registering but not testifying: 
          
         Eric Groten, El Paso Electric Company - SB 7 Provisions. 
         Ruth McBurney, Texas Department of Health - Low-level  
         Radioactive Waste. 
         Carolyn Brittin, Texas Water Development Board - Groundwater. 
         Dianna Noble, Texas Department of Transportation - Air Quality. 
         James Randall, Texas Department of Transportation - Ports &  
         Expansion. 
          
         At 3:08 p.m., on the motion of the Chair and without objection,  
         the meeting recessed until March 7, 2000, in Houston, Texas. 
          
         ____________________________ 
         Senator J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair 
          
         ____________________________ 
         Carol McGarah, Clerk