Agriculture and Commerce issues were the focus of my week as we addressed many laws that affect the farming and ranching industry. We discussed the Intensive Ground Water Use Control Area (IGUCA) and the affect of limiting the authority to expand existing or add new IGUCAs in the western part of our state. What we did discover is that the Water Authority, IGUCA act, and the Kansas Water Appropriations Act are in conflict with each others laws, rules and regulation.
As the Secretary of Agriculture, Adrian Polansky states; “Water is an essential resource for which there is no substitute. Without water in some form, no activity of any kind can occur, whether it is agriculture, industry or human habitation”. Hopefully we will have an interim study that can lead to debate before the Ag & Natural Resource Committee.
On Tuesday I had an evening meeting presented by Walter Geiger III, Program Manager/Meteorologist for the Kansas Weather Modification Program. In 1975, the weather modification program was formed and was first known as the Muddy Roads Program. Yes, this program can affect the weather by seeding clouds with silver iodide in solid or liquid form to lessen the impact of thunderstorms and hailstorms.
I learned a bunch about the physics of thunderstorms and the flying ability of the pilots that fly near or even penetrate these often very dangerous storm cells. The targeted areas are mainly western Kansas counties such as Ford, Cheyenne, Finney, Greeley, Rawlins, Sheridan. The program is patterned after similar programs in the Dakotas and Nebraska.
The program objectives are to:
- Seed clouds while crops are being planted, grown and harvested.
- Decrease the occurrence of crop damaging hail by seeding thunderstorms,
- Optimize area rainfall by seeding selected clouds in the absence of severe weather,
- Demonstrate the feasability and effectiveness of an operational seeding program on the Western High Plains.
The results are remarkable with a 27% to 35% reduction of crop-hail damage due directly due to seeding. A benefit-to-cost ratio of 10:1 to 37:1 based on crop yield. Funding from the counties comes from county assessment of 5.2 cents/acre for cropland, 2.2 cents/acre for rangeland, Additional funding from the Groundwater Management districts #1 and #3. In 97-01 each county provided a $10,000 match to state funds, 03 the state provided no funds, 04-06 the state gave $120,000 each year and for 2007 the state proposes to provide $240,000 and the locals give $269,000. In other states the insurance companies fund the entire program to lessen claims.
For more information contact Walt Geiger, waltergeiger@yahoo.com, 620-640-8725, or David Brenn, Executive Director, dbrenn@gcnet.com, 620-872-5563, http://users.pld.com/wkwmp.
On Wednesday I carried an amendment to the appropriations bill, HB 2638. A Butler County resident had a claim against the state in which they requested compensation for wrongful incarceration. The evidence shows the person was imprisoned for more time (33 months +) than was called for in the initial sentencing guidelines. A joint subcommittee had recommended payment but the appropriations committee deleted the payment from this years budget. Apparently only 5 times in the past 30 years had someone been successful in receiving this type of compensation. I thought we should correct an injustice.
What followed was a lengthy debate with several other legislators, several opposing and a couple of supporters, whereupon I prevailed in passing the proposal 94-29, and now it is on the way to the Senate for a blessing and then to the Governor for signature.
Visitors this week included Gary Dick from Butler Rural Electric who was in town for some electrical distribution continuing education. Janet Baker and Pat Fellers from El Dorado stopped by on Thursday to discuss issues concerning education.
We are in the “turn around” mode now which denotes half way through the session, we exchange legislation with the Senate and evaluate and discuss the legislation passed in each other house.
If there is anything I can do for you or help in getting an answer to your questions, just contact me, State Capitol Room 411-S, Topeka Kansas, 66612, 785-296-7655, 1115 Rim Rock Road,
El Dorado, 67042,or grange@house.state.ks.us, www.johngrange.net,
I consider it an honor to serve you.
Thanks again,
Rep John C. Grange
Back to Updates
