Nancy Dugan
HSB 713 contains language that will kneecap one of Iowa's most important statutes, Iowa Code sec. 455B.266. The bill extends lawful parity to various uses, including industrial uses. Iowa Code sec. 455B.266 establishes a framework during drought, stipulating that human consumption is the most important designation. I am concerned this bill may scramble enforcement of this section. The bill proposes to delete language I consider highly important, removing protections for the common good of the people. The language in HSB 713 holds the potential for industrial lawfare against the people of this state, and history has shown us who wins. The bill may set the stage for grave harm to the people and the potential for loss of life. This legislation should never have been brought forward. It violates the people's constitutional right to safety. If this legislature cannot uphold the basic tenet that the rights of the people to drinking water outweigh those of industry, then truly we are lost.
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