House File 2644 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2336)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act directing the office of energy independence, in
  2    conjunction with the Iowa energy center, to conduct a
  3    feasibility study regarding the establishment of low=head
  4    hydropower energy production facilities, and providing an
  5    effective date.
  6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  7 TLSB 5536HV 82
  8 rn/nh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  LOW=HEAD HYDROPOWER == FEASIBILITY STUDY.
  1  2    1.  a.  The office of energy independence, in conjunction
  1  3 with the Iowa energy center, shall conduct a study assessing
  1  4 the feasibility of establishing one or more low=head
  1  5 hydropower energy production facilities at one or more of the
  1  6 following locations:
  1  7    (1)  Sites bordering the Mississippi river, including but
  1  8 not limited to a federal lock and dam.
  1  9    (2)  Sites located on a river, stream, or reservoir within
  1 10 this state, including but not limited to a lock and dam
  1 11 erected in connection with the river, stream, or reservoir.
  1 12    b.  Prior to identifying potential facility locations, the
  1 13 office or the Iowa energy center shall, in coordination with
  1 14 the United States army corps of engineers, the department of
  1 15 natural resources, or any other federal or state agency or
  1 16 entity the office or the Iowa energy center determines
  1 17 appropriate, measure current and flow levels at federal lock
  1 18 and dam locations bordering the Mississippi river, and at
  1 19 rivers, streams, and reservoirs within this state, to assess
  1 20 potential energy generation capacity.
  1 21    2.  For purposes of this study, a "low=head hydropower
  1 22 energy production facility" means a facility designed and
  1 23 constructed for energy extraction from flowing water where the
  1 24 vertical distance through which the water falls is relatively
  1 25 short.  The office shall by rule establish distance
  1 26 specifications for characterization of a proposed location as
  1 27 low=head.
  1 28    3.  The office shall submit a report of its assessment,
  1 29 including recommendations regarding potential energy
  1 30 generation capacity derived from low=head hydropower
  1 31 facilities, and a proposed number of such facilities and
  1 32 potential locations, to the governor and the general assembly
  1 33 by January 1, 2009.  The report shall also contain
  1 34 recommendations for establishing a pilot project involving
  1 35 construction of a low=head hydropower energy production
  2  1 facility, including a proposed location and timeline for
  2  2 development of the facility.
  2  3    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act, being deemed of
  2  4 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
  2  5                           EXPLANATION
  2  6    This bill directs the office of energy independence, in
  2  7 conjunction with the Iowa energy center, to conduct a study
  2  8 assessing the feasibility of establishing one or more low=head
  2  9 hydropower energy production facilities at specified locations
  2 10 in this state.  The office or the center is also directed to
  2 11 measure current and flow levels at federal lock and dam
  2 12 locations bordering the Mississippi river, and at rivers,
  2 13 streams, and reservoirs within this state, to assess potential
  2 14 energy generation capacity, in coordination with the United
  2 15 States army corps of engineers, the department of natural
  2 16 resources, or other federal or state agencies prior to
  2 17 identifying proposed locations for such facilities.  The bill
  2 18 provides that the office shall establish by rule distance
  2 19 specifications for characterization of a proposed location as
  2 20 low=head.  The office is directed to submit a report,
  2 21 including recommendations regarding potential energy
  2 22 generation capacity derived from low=head hydropower
  2 23 facilities, a proposed number of such facilities, potential
  2 24 facility locations, and a pilot project proposal, to the
  2 25 governor and the general assembly by January 1, 2009.
  2 26    The bill takes effect upon enactment.
  2 27 LSB 5536HV 82
  2 28 rn/nh/8