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
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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