CO Code § 23-20-141 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 23 - Postsecondary Education|Article 20 - University of Colorado|Part 1 - University of Colorado|§ 23-20-141. Emerging Technologies for Water Management - Study - Report - Legislative Declaration - Repeal

     Subject to subsection (2) of this section and in collaboration with Colorado state university and the Colorado water institute created in section 23-31-801, the university of Colorado shall conduct feasibility studies and pilot deployments of new and emerging technologies that have potential to improve the monitoring, management, conservation, and allocation of surface water and groundwater and to reduce inefficiency and waste in the process of recycling, reclaiming, or disposing of produced water and wastewater.    The technologies to be investigated by the universities and the institute pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section may include:   In-situ sensors to monitor surface and groundwater use;    Direct or remote sensors to monitor water quality;    Cellular and satellite telemetry systems allowing remote access to sensor data;    Aerial observation platforms, including high-altitude balloons and unmanned aerial vehicles;    Satellite-based remote sensing and water resource forecasting technologies; and    Blockchain-based documentation, communication, and authentication of data regarding water use; fulfillment of obligations under Colorado's system of prior appropriation, including augmentation plans; and water conservation.       On or before July 15, 2022, and upon request of the water resources review committee of the general assembly in any year thereafter, the universities shall provide live testimony and a written report on the progress of the feasibility studies and pilot deployments conducted pursuant to this subsection (1), including any conclusions regarding the potential of these technologies to improve Colorado water management and any recommendations for administrative or legislative action to promote their use, to the water resources review committee.    Any feasibility studies or pilot deployments made pursuant to this section, and any recommendations for administrative or legislative action to promote the use of the technologies considered, must take account of the existing system of prior appropriation under article XVI of the state constitution and Colorado water law. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that nothing in this section shall be construed to encourage or enable speculation in water or water rights.       The university of Colorado and Colorado state university may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of this section. The universities shall not conduct the feasibility studies or pilot deployments described in subsection (1) of this section unless they have received at least forty thousand dollars pursuant to this subsection (2) on or before June 1, 2022. The general assembly shall appropriate forty thousand dollars from the general fund to the department of higher education, with twenty thousand dollars allocated to each university, for the purposes of this section; except that the appropriation is contingent on the universities receiving forty thousand dollars in gifts, grants, and donations on or before June 1, 2022, and certifying in writing to the state controller that said amount has been received on or before June 1, 2022.      The universities shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing, by e-mail sent to revisorofstatutes.ga@state.co.us, whether the universities received, by June 1, 2022, the amount of money specified in subsection (2) of this section.      If the notice from the universities states that, as of June 1, 2022, the universities did not receive the amount of money specified in subsection (2) of this section, this section is repealed, effective September 1, 2022. (b) (I) If the notice from the universities states that, as of June 1, 2022, the universities did not receive the amount of money specified in subsection (2) of this section, this section is repealed, effective September 1, 2022.    If the notice from the universities states that, as of June 1, 2022, the universities did receive the amount of money specified in subsection (2) of this section, this subsection (3) is repealed, effective upon the date identified in the notice that the money was received or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.          Each of the universities shall:   Report and regularly update on its website the amount and source of money received pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and, if the money is a gift, grant, or donation, the identity of the donor and the purpose and period of time for which the money is available;    Report annually the amount and source of money received pursuant to subsection (2) of this section in the prior state fiscal year at the hearing required by the “State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act”, part 2 of article 7 of title 2, and, if the money is a gift, grant, or donation, the name of the source of the money and the grantee; and    Include the information specified in subsection (4)(a) of this section in any published report on the outcome of any feasibility study or pilot deployment and any published recommendations based on that outcome.       This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2023.     History. Source: L. 2021: Entire section added,(HB 21-1268), ch. 258, p. 1516, § 2, effective June 18.    Cross references:   For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1268, see section 1 of chapter 258, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.