House File 152 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY D. OLSON, SCHUELLER, HEDDENS, KRESSIG, JACOBY, JACOBS, SMITH, and MERTZ Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act providing for a low head dam public hazard program, and 2 making an appropriation. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1068YH 82 5 da/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 464A.11 LOW HEAD DAM PUBLIC 1 2 HAZARD PROGRAM. 1 3 1. The department shall establish a low head dam public 1 4 hazard program to reduce the incidents of drowning due to 1 5 dangers associated with coming within proximity of a 1 6 traditionally designed low head dam, including hydraulic 1 7 conditions or recirculating or reverse current velocity. 1 8 2. In administering the low head dam public hazard 1 9 program, the department may provide for all of the following: 1 10 a. Compiling an inventory of low head dams, including a 1 11 listing of those low head dams which may require remediation. 1 12 b. Providing for public education including placing 1 13 notices near low head dams and along navigational trails, and 1 14 increasing public awareness of the dangers associated with low 1 15 head dams. 1 16 c. Constructing portage trails circumventing low head 1 17 dams, including the construction of appropriate landing and 1 18 launching sites. 1 19 d. Recommending designs for low head dams to reduce 1 20 incidents of drowning. 1 21 e. Providing for cost=effective remediation, including the 1 22 removal or modification of low head dams. 1 23 Sec. 2. LOW HEAD DAM PUBLIC HAZARD PROGRAM == 1 24 APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the general fund of 1 25 the state to the department of natural resources for the 1 26 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, 1 27 the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to 1 28 be used for the purposes designated: 1 29 For purposes of supporting the low head dam public hazard 1 30 program as provided in section 464A.11, as enacted in this 1 31 Act: 1 32 .................................................. $ 200,000 1 33 1. The moneys appropriated in this section shall be used 1 34 to provide grants to local communities, including counties and 1 35 cities, for projects approved by the department. 2 1 a. The department shall establish a grant application 2 2 process and shall require each local community applying for a 2 3 project grant to submit a project plan for the expenditure of 2 4 the moneys, and to file a report with the department regarding 2 5 the project, as required by the department. 2 6 b. The department shall only award moneys on a matching 2 7 basis, pursuant to which the local community shall contribute 2 8 a dollar for each dollar awarded by the department, in order 2 9 to finance a project. 2 10 2. a. The moneys appropriated in this section shall be 2 11 allocated for grant projects as follows: 2 12 (1) Thirty percent for placing notices near low head dams 2 13 and along navigational trails and constructing portage trails. 2 14 (2) Thirty percent for conducting studies of low head 2 15 dams, which may include strategies for reducing hazards 2 16 associated with the low head dams, including but not limited 2 17 to cost=effective remediation. 2 18 (3) Forty percent for providing cost=effective remediation 2 19 of low head dams. 2 20 b. If the department determines that an amount of an 2 21 allocation provided in paragraph "a" cannot be reasonably 2 22 expended to finance all projects to be supported from that 2 23 allocation, the department may use that amount to finance 2 24 projects which are supported from another allocation, as 2 25 provided in paragraph "a". 2 26 EXPLANATION 2 27 This bill establishes a low head dam public hazard program 2 28 to reduce the incidents of drowning due to dangers associated 2 29 with coming within the proximity of a traditionally designed 2 30 low head dam. The program is to be administered by the 2 31 department of natural resources. The bill appropriates moneys 2 32 from the general fund to support the program. The moneys are 2 33 appropriated to support grants to local communities on a 2 34 matching basis. The moneys are to be used for placing notices 2 35 near low head dams and along navigational trails, constructing 3 1 portage trails, conducting studies, and providing for 3 2 cost=effective remediation. 3 3 LSB 1068YH 82 3 4 da:nh/je/5.1