§ 99-3-1107 — Coalbed natural gas water use task force

(a) There is created a coalbed natural gas water use task
force consisting of fifteen (15) members. The task force
members shall select a chairman and a vice-chairman.
(b) Four (4) members of the task force shall be from the
following agencies:
(i) One (1) member shall be the director of the
department of environmental quality;
(ii) One (1) member shall be the state engineer;
(iii) One (1) member shall be the supervisor of the
oil and gas commission; and
(iv) One (1) member shall be the chairman of the
Wyoming natural gas pipeline authority.
(c) Seven (7) members of the task force shall be appointed
by the governor from the following communities:
(i) Three (3) members from the coalbed natural gas
industry;
(ii) Three (3) members from the agricultural
community; and
(iii) One (1) member from the public at large.
(d) Four (4) members of the task force shall be
legislators, including two (2) members of the senate appointed
by the president of the senate and two (2) members of the house
of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house.
(e) The task force shall meet at the call of the chairman
to review and evaluate alternative uses of water produced as a
result of coalbed natural gas operations.
(f) The task force shall issue a report, including
reviewing current statutes and regulations and produced water
management alternatives and options currently or potentially
available to or used by the coalbed natural gas industry, to the
governor, the joint agriculture, public lands and water
resources interim committee and the joint minerals, business and
economic development interim committee to be delivered no later
than December 6, 2006, and a final report to be delivered no
later than October 1, 2007.
(g) The task force shall be staffed by the governor's
office. The task force may contract for administrative and
research services to aid in preparation of the task force
report. The governor's office shall convene the task force no
later than May 1, 2006.
(h) The task force shall exist until October 30, 2007.
Members of the task force who are not legislators shall not
receive a salary but shall receive reimbursement for necessary
travel and per diem expenses in the manner and amount provided
for state employees under W.S. 9-3-102 and 9-3-103. Members of
the task force who are legislators shall be paid salary, per
diem and travel expenses as provided in W.S. 28-5-101 for their
official duties as members of the task force.
(j) There is appropriated two hundred fifty thousand
dollars ($250,000.00) from the water development account I to
the governor's office for expenses incurred pursuant to this
section.