(a) The Wyoming Colorado River advisory committee is created within the state engineer's office. The state engineer's office shall provide administrative services and staffing for the committee.
(b) The purpose of the committee is to advise and inform the governor, the state engineer and Wyoming's commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission regarding the beneficial use, development, protection and conservation of water from the Green and Little Snake rivers and their tributaries relative to Wyoming's rights and obligations under the 1922 Colorado River Compact and the 1948 Upper Colorado River Basin Compact.
(c) The committee may, at the request of the governor, develop a management plan to ensure that Wyoming can protect and develop water within Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River Basin to ensure that Wyoming can operate within the state's apportionment under the Colorado River compact and the Upper Colorado River Basin compact.
(d) The committee shall meet not less than two (2) times each year and shall meet additionally as necessary upon the request of the state engineer, Wyoming's commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission or the majority of the members of the committee.
(e) The committee shall consist of nine (9) members appointed by the governor, one (1) member appointed by the president of the senate and one (1) member appointed by the speaker of the house as follows:
(i) One (1) member representing agricultural irrigation interests that divert and use water from the Green River or its tributaries upstream from the Fontenelle Reservoir;
(ii) One (1) member representing agricultural irrigation interests that divert and use water from the Green River or its tributaries downstream from the Fontenelle Reservoir;
(iii) One (1) member representing agricultural interests that divert and use water from the Little Snake River or its tributaries;
(iv) One (1) member representing municipal water users that divert and use water from the Green River or its tributaries;
(v) One (1) member representing municipal water users that divert and use water from the Little Snake River or its tributaries;
(vi) Two (2) members representing industrial water users that divert and use water in Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River basin;
(vii) One (1) member representing recreational, fish, wildlife and environmental interests in Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River basin;
(viii) One (1) member representing conservation districts in Wyoming's portion of the Colorado River basin;
(ix) Two (2) legislators, one (1) from each house, appointed by the speaker of the house and president of the senate respectively.
(f) Committee members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years, except legislators who shall serve only for the term of office during which they were appointed, and may be reappointed for subsequent terms. The governor may appoint some initial members for terms of less than four (4) years to provide for staggered terms. Members appointed to the committee by the governor may also be removed in accordance with W.S. 9-1-202.
(g) Nonlegislative members of the committee shall not receive any fees, salary or other compensation but are entitled to receive per diem and mileage on the same basis and at the same rate as state employees and reimbursement for any other actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of committee duties. The legislative members shall receive salary and reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the committee, as provided in W.S. 28-5-101. Members who are government employees or public officials shall be considered on official business of their agency when performing duties as members of the committee.
(h) The committee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its members.
