House Study Bill 85 SENATE/HOUSE FILE BY (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES BILL) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to permit fees for diverting, storing, or 2 withdrawing water and making appropriations. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1279XD 82 5 tm/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 455B.265, Code 2007, is amended by 1 2 adding the following new subsection: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 6. The department may charge an annual 1 4 fee to a person that has been granted a permit pursuant to 1 5 this section or required to have a permit pursuant to section 1 6 455B.268. The commission shall adopt rules setting the fees. 1 7 The amount of a fee shall be based on the amount of water 1 8 stored, withdrawn, or diverted and the department's reasonable 1 9 cost of reviewing applications, issuing permits, and checking 1 10 compliance with terms of the permits. Fees collected pursuant 1 11 to this subsection are appropriated to the department for 1 12 purposes of this subsection. The commission shall annually 1 13 review the amount of moneys generated by fees, the balance in 1 14 the fee account, and anticipated expenses for the succeeding 1 15 fiscal year. Moneys generated by such fees shall be used to 1 16 contract with qualified parties to gather scientific 1 17 information about aquifer characteristics, quantity of water 1 18 stored in an aquifer, and the effects of withdrawing water 1 19 from an aquifer, and to review applications, issue permits, 1 20 provide technical assistance to permit applicants, and check 1 21 compliance with terms of the permits. 1 22 EXPLANATION 1 23 This bill relates to permit fees for diverting, storing, or 1 24 withdrawing water. 1 25 The bill allows the department of natural resources to 1 26 charge an annual fee to a person required to have a permit for 1 27 diverting, storing, or withdrawing water from any surface or 1 28 groundwater source or for diverting water or material from the 1 29 surface directly into an underground watercourse or basin. 1 30 The bill requires the environmental protection commission to 1 31 set the fees. The bill provides criteria for setting fees. 1 32 The bill appropriates fees collected to the department for 1 33 purposes provided in the bill. The bill requires the 1 34 commission to annually review the amount of moneys generated 1 35 by fees, the balance in the fee account, and anticipated 2 1 expenses for the succeeding fiscal year. The bill requires 2 2 moneys generated by such fees to be used to contract with 2 3 qualified parties to gather scientific information about 2 4 aquifer characteristics, quantity of water stored in an 2 5 aquifer, and the effects of withdrawing water from an aquifer, 2 6 and to review applications, issue permits, provide technical 2 7 assistance to permit applicants, and check compliance with 2 8 terms of the permits. 2 9 LSB 1279XD 82 2 10 tm:rj/gg/14.1