(1) There is hereby created the Southern Ute Indian tribe/state of Colorado environmental commission. The commission is not an agency of the state, but is an authority created pursuant to the intergovernmental agreement. The commission's actions are not subject to the provisions of the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., but rather are subject to procedural rules adopted by the commission.
The commission shall have authority to adopt air quality standards, promulgate rulesand regulations, and review appealable administrative actions pertaining to the reservation air program.
It is the intent of the general assembly that the commission's rules, regulations, andorders shall be effective against all persons located within the reservation over whom the state would otherwise have jurisdiction as provided by state or federal law.
The commission shall consist of three members appointed by the tribe and threemembers appointed by the governor. The initial members appointed by the governor shall serve terms as follows: One member shall serve until July 1, 2001, one member shall serve until July 1, 2002, and one member shall serve until July 1, 2003. All subsequent appointments by the governor shall be for terms of three years. The governor's appointees shall be residents of the state of Colorado. At least two of such appointees shall be residents of either Archuleta or La Plata county and at least one of such appointees shall reside on fee land.
The governor may remove any member appointed by the governor at any time. Thegovernor may not remove any member appointed by the tribe.
Except as provided in section 25-7-1307, commission members shall not receive anycompensation from the state of Colorado for their services in the conduct of commission business. Commission members may be reimbursed for necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties out of funds collected or received by the tribe.
Each member shall have one vote. The affirmative vote of a majority of all membersof the commission on any matter within its powers and duties shall be required for any final determination made by the commission.
The commission shall annually elect a member to preside as chair. The chair shallalternate annually between a tribal and a state member.
Source: L. 2000: Entire part added, p. 109, § 1, effective March 15. L. 2002: (4) amended, p. 1093, § 2, effective June 1. L. 2010: (4) amended, (SB 10-082), ch. 182, p. 655, § 1, effective April 29.