Senate File 307 - Introduced





                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  KIBBIE


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

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act regulating animal feeding operations, and making penalties
  2    applicable.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 2339XS 83
  5 da/rj/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 459.102, Code 2009, is amended by
  1  2 adding the following new subsections:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  28A.  "Frozen ground" means soil that is
  1  4 impenetrable due to frozen soil moisture but does not include
  1  5 soil that is only frozen to a depth of two inches or less.
  1  6    NEW SUBSECTION.  44A.  "Snow covered ground" means soil
  1  7 covered by one inch or more of snow or soil covered by one
  1  8 half inch or more of ice.
  1  9    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  459.313A  WHEN A PERSON MAY APPLY
  1 10 MANURE ON LAND == FROZEN GROUND AND SNOW COVERED GROUND.
  1 11    1.  A person may apply liquid manure originating from a
  1 12 confinement feeding operation on frozen ground or snow covered
  1 13 ground except as provided in this section or except as
  1 14 otherwise provided in this chapter.  During the period
  1 15 beginning on February 1 and ending on April 1, a person may
  1 16 apply the liquid manure on frozen ground or snow covered
  1 17 ground only if the need for the application becomes urgent.
  1 18 The need for the application becomes urgent when there is an
  1 19 immediate need to comply with section 459.311, subsection 1.
  1 20 The immediate need must be caused by unforeseen circumstances
  1 21 beyond the control of the owner or operator of the confinement
  1 22 feeding operation, including but not limited to natural
  1 23 disaster, unusual weather conditions, or equipment failure.
  1 24 An owner or operator applying liquid manure pursuant to this
  1 25 paragraph shall notify the department before beginning the
  1 26 land application.
  1 27    2.  The authorization to apply liquid manure in subsection
  1 28 1 does not apply to any of the following:
  1 29    a.  If the immediate need to comply with section 459.311,
  1 30 subsection 1, is caused by the improper design or management
  1 31 of a manure storage structure, including but not limited to a
  1 32 failure to properly account for the volume of the manure to be
  1 33 stored.
  1 34    b.  If the application of liquid manure consists of manure
  1 35 originating from a small animal feeding operation.
  2  1    c.  If the liquid manure that is applied is injected into
  2  2 the soil or incorporated within the soil on the same date.
  2  3    Sec. 3.  DEPARTMENTAL REPORT.  The department of natural
  2  4 resources shall prepare and submit a report to the general
  2  5 assembly on or before July 1, 2010.  The report shall provide
  2  6 recommendations regarding all of the following:
  2  7    1.  The need for improved manure storage structures
  2  8 associated with small animal feeding operations to improve
  2  9 water quality.
  2 10    2.  The application of dry manure on frozen ground or snow
  2 11 covered ground.
  2 12                           EXPLANATION
  2 13    APPLICATION OF MANURE ON FROZEN AND SNOW COVERED GROUND.
  2 14 This bill amends the "Animal Agriculture Compliance Act" (Code
  2 15 section 459.101), by providing for conditions when a person
  2 16 may apply liquid manure during winter months beginning on
  2 17 February 1 and ending on April 1 on frozen ground or snow
  2 18 covered ground.  The application must be "urgent", meaning
  2 19 that there is an immediate need to comply with Code section
  2 20 459.311(1) that prohibits manure from being discharged
  2 21 directly into water of the state or into a tile line that
  2 22 discharges directly into a water of the state.  In addition,
  2 23 the need must be unforeseen by and beyond the control of the
  2 24 owner or operator of the confinement feeding operation.
  2 25 However, the restrictions do not apply to manure originating
  2 26 from a small animal feeding operation or liquid manure that is
  2 27 injected into the soil or incorporated within the soil on the
  2 28 same date as applied to the land.
  2 29    REPORT REQUIRED.  The bill also requires the department of
  2 30 natural resources to prepare and submit a report to the
  2 31 general assembly on or before July 1, 2010.  The report must
  2 32 provide recommendations regarding (1) the need for improved
  2 33 manure storage structures associated with small animal feeding
  2 34 operations to improve water quality, and (2) the application
  2 35 of dry manure on frozen ground or snow covered ground.
  3  1    PENALTIES APPLICABLE.  Generally, a person who applies
  3  2 manure in violation of the new provision is subject to a civil
  3  3 penalty that may be administratively assessed by the
  3  4 department of not more than $10,000 (Code section 455B.109) or
  3  5 judicially assessed of not more than $5,000 per each day of
  3  6 the violation (455B.191(1)).  Penalties are deposited into the
  3  7 animal agriculture compliance fund (Code section 459.401).
  3  8 LSB 2339XS 83
  3  9 da/rj/8.1