Kansas Legislative News #7
FINAL REPORT
May 25, 2012
Zack Pistora
Legislative Director & Lobbyist
Sierra Club – Kansas Chapter
22801 Golden Rd, Linwood KS 66052
Phone: 785-865-6503
email: zack@kansas.sierraclub.org

Legislative Session Ends – Not bad for Environmental Issues
The 2012 Legislative Session finally came to a close this past Sunday, May 20th, ending the 99-day session, a lengthy session that went past its usual 90 day limit.  The long session fared well for the environmental lobby, especially because of the passage of a number of water conservation laws.  Here is a summary of the big legislation affecting the 2012 session.  For more detailed information, please help yourself to follow the action in my other legislative reports.

Water
Water conservation was a top agenda item for Kansan legislators this year.  Last year, severe droughts lost the state nearly $2 billion last year in revenue.  Following up on the advice of former Secretary of Agriculture Josh Svaty, Governor Brownback directed the legislature to pass important measures that would better manage water usage all over the state, but especially in dry western Kansas.  Here are the bills that passed.

SB 272 – Establishing Multi-year flex accounts for water rights and usage
HB 2451 – Eliminating “Use it or Lose it” water policy
HB 2516 – Establishing permanent Water Bank Charters
HB 2517 – Making Water Transition Assistance Program permanent  
HB 2588 – Issuance of Revenue Bonds for Water Districts
HB 2685 – Creating Water Reservoir Improvement Districts
SB 310- Establishing Local Enhanced Management Areas

Fracking
After a rollercoaster ride of legislative action, both positive and negative, a Conference Committee decided to push the first major fracking legislation we have seen in Kansas.  Both the House and Senate approved the major overwhelmingly. .

S Sub for HB 2597 – Allowing Land-spreading of fracking solids – . New legislation allows the drilled solids from hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling to be distributed on land according to best waste management practices.  The Land-spreading practices option allows fracking companies to displace their waste, as long as the area does not take place in areas where the water table is less than 10 feet.   Also, in places where the average annual precipitation exceeds 25 inches, the land-spreading must be worked into the soil.

Earlier the legislature authorized the KCC to have explicit authority over hydraulic fracturing.  Regarding land-spreading, we await the memorandum of agreement of regulatory oversight between the KCC and KDHE.

FY 2013 Budget
The legislature added $800,000 to the Governor’s recommended budget for KDHE, all from the State Water Plan Fund, for  FY 2013 to fundthe Local Environmental Protection Program (LEPP) in the budget of the Department of Health and Environment.

OFF the Wall Legislation
HCR 6018 –Exposing the radical plot of United Nations Agenda 21 on Sustainable Development  - Rep. Dennis Hedke of Wichita, Rep. Greg Smith of Overland Park, and Rep. Forrest Knox of Altoona backed a resolution in front of the House Federal Affairs Committee and eventually won the support of House.  The resolution backs a tea-partyish, anti-UN stance that exposes the “true nature” of UN’s agenda to take private land rights away by creating sustainable development opportunities in local areas.  The Non-binding treaty has been associated as a communist and socialist plot – as waste management, transportation, and city planning become more aware of their environmental impact.

Support Candidates with Environmental Platforms
With the legislative session at its end, our political focus now goes to the upcoming 2012 state elections.  As new candidates begin to file for election and campaigns come underway, the opportunity for Kansas Sierra Club members and others to demand proactive environmental leadership becomes very real.  We need our candidates to put environmental issues at a top priority and insert discussion of water preservation, oil and gas fracking operations, passenger rail, and renewable energy into the dialogue for state progress.  

Thank you from our Lobbyist, Zack Pistora
Thank you to all of you who were aware or involved in our legislative and political activities this year.  Being my first year in the legislature as our lobbyist, I had a sharp learning curve, but enjoyed every bit of it.  I met and worked with legislators and other lobbyists, wrote and gave testimony in front of multiple committees, and relayed information back to our Club leaders and our members through meetings and my legislative updates.  I felt our lobbying effort did well for having a new guy, but I have realized many things we can do better next year.  Above all, I appreciate all the support I received from the Sierra Club and am very excited to work hard in the off-season for a successful effort next session.  As always, thank you for being a member of Kansas Sierra Club and caring for your planet!  

Thank our Representatives for their Commitment to Defending our Environment in Kansas
Because environmental matters prevailed this year, please join the Kansas Sierra Club in issuing gratitude to our legislators for protecting our natural world.  Certainly there is much room for improvement, but by contacting your state representatives and expressing your advocacy for the environment, you are giving our elected officials a friendly push in the right direction.  To find out who your representatives are, check out  http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/vote/.  Please reach out to me too, as I would like to hear your thoughts and concerns. Thank you for being a member of Kansas Sierra Club and caring for your planet!  

Thank you from our Lobbyist, Zack Pistora
Thank you to all of you who were aware or involved in our legislative and political activities this year.  Being my first year in the legislature as our lobbyist, I had a sharp learning curve, but enjoyed every bit of it.  I met and worked with legislators and other lobbyists, wrote and gave testimony in front of multiple committees, and relayed information back to our Club leaders and our members through meetings and my legislative updates.  I felt our lobbying effort did well for having a new guy, but I have realized many things we can do better next year.  Above all, I appreciate all the support I received from the Sierra Club and am very excited to work hard in the off-season for a successful effort next session.  As always, thank you for being a member of Kansas Sierra Club and caring for your planet! 

Sincerely,

Zack Pistora  
Kansas Sierra Club Legislative Director & Lobbyist 
785-865-6503
zack@kansas.sierraclub.org