House File 612 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO HF 152) 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 1068HV 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 shall adopt rules providing for hazard 1 10 control objectives, which may include all of the following: 1 11 a. Compiling an inventory of low head dams, including a 1 12 listing of those low head dams which may require remediation. 1 13 b. Providing for public education including placing 1 14 notices near low head dams and along navigational trails, and 1 15 increasing public awareness of the dangers associated with low 1 16 head dams. 1 17 c. Constructing portage trails circumventing low head 1 18 dams, including the construction of appropriate landing and 1 19 launching sites. 1 20 d. Recommending designs for low head dams to reduce 1 21 incidents of drowning. 1 22 e. Providing for cost=effective remediation, including the 1 23 removal or modification of low head dams. 1 24 3. The department shall adopt rules providing a schedule 1 25 for the allocation of moneys received by the department to 1 26 support the program. The schedule shall allocate the moneys 1 27 on a percentage basis to finance hazard control objectives as 1 28 provided in this section. 1 29 Sec. 2. LOW HEAD DAM PUBLIC HAZARD PROGRAM == 1 30 APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the general fund of 1 31 the state to the department of natural resources for the 1 32 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, 1 33 the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to 1 34 be used for the purposes designated: 1 35 For purposes of supporting the low head dam public hazard 2 1 program as provided in section 464A.11, as enacted in this 2 2 Act: 2 3 .................................................. $ 200,000 2 4 The moneys appropriated in this section shall be used to 2 5 provide grants to local communities, including counties and 2 6 cities, for projects approved by the department. 2 7 1. The department shall establish a grant application 2 8 process and shall require each local community applying for a 2 9 project grant to submit a project plan for the expenditure of 2 10 the moneys, and to file a report with the department regarding 2 11 the project, as required by the department. 2 12 2. The department shall only award moneys on a matching 2 13 basis, pursuant to which the local community shall contribute 2 14 a dollar for each dollar awarded by the department, in order 2 15 to finance a project. 2 16 EXPLANATION 2 17 This bill establishes a low head dam public hazard program 2 18 to reduce the incidents of drowning due to dangers associated 2 19 with coming within the proximity of a traditionally designed 2 20 low head dam. The program is to be administered by the 2 21 department of natural resources. The bill appropriates moneys 2 22 from the general fund to support the program. The moneys are 2 23 appropriated to support grants to local communities on a 2 24 matching basis. 2 25 LSB 1068HV 82 2 26 da:nh/je/5