Senate File 361 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON REBUILD IOWA (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1270) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act providing appropriations to support soil and water 2 conservation efforts. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2652SV 83 5 da/rj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. STUDY OF THE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND 1 2 MANAGEMENT ON IOWA HYDROLOGY. There is appropriated from the 1 3 general fund of the state to the department of agriculture and 1 4 land stewardship for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2009, 1 5 and ending June 30, 2011, the following amount, or so much 1 6 thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes 1 7 designated: 1 8 For purposes of establishing a research project to study 1 9 the impact of agricultural land management on Iowa's 1 10 hydrology, including salaries, support, maintenance, and 1 11 miscellaneous purposes: 1 12 .................................................. $ 790,500 1 13 1. The department may use a combination of new and 1 14 existing sites to evaluate all of the following: 1 15 a. The use of hydrologic modeling tools to evaluate how 1 16 watersheds could be designed or redesigned to reduce the 1 17 downstream hydrologic footprint and water quality impacts of 1 18 Iowa agriculture under a range of precipitation patterns, 1 19 including but not limited to extreme precipitation events, and 1 20 under a range of extreme precipitation event frequencies. 1 21 b. The impact of long=term soil and water practices on 1 22 surface water runoff using plot=scale measurements by 1 23 addressing how tillage practices impact surface water runoff 1 24 under a range of natural precipitation patterns and whether 1 25 reduced tillage practices reduce volumes and rates of surface 1 26 water runoff. 1 27 c. The impact of buffers and complete conversion of crop 1 28 land to perennial vegetation on surface water runoff using 1 29 hill=slope scale measurements. 1 30 d. The drainage impacts on surface water runoff on 1 31 field=scale areas, including the impact of subsurface drainage 1 32 on surface runoff using small field=scale areas under drained 1 33 versus undrained conditions. 1 34 e. The impact of various drainage system designs on the 1 35 contribution of surface water runoff and subsurface water 2 1 drainage to total water flow from the drainage district. 2 2 2. The department shall submit a report to the governor 2 3 and the general assembly which includes a summary of its 2 4 methodology, the findings of the study, and any 2 5 recommendations, by January 15, 2011. 2 6 Sec. 2. SURFACE WATER CONTROL. There is appropriated from 2 7 the general fund of the state to the department of agriculture 2 8 and land stewardship for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2 9 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, the following amount, or so 2 10 much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes 2 11 designated: 2 12 For purposes of supporting urban conservation efforts to 2 13 provide for effective surface water control, including 2 14 salaries, support, maintenance, miscellaneous purposes, and 2 15 for not more than the following full=time equivalent 2 16 positions: 2 17 .................................................. $ 450,000 2 18 ............................................... FTEs 6.00 2 19 1. The appropriation and authorization of full=time 2 20 equivalent positions provided in this section shall be used to 2 21 supplement the number of technicians employed by the 2 22 department to assist communities in this state to plan 2 23 strategies for water storage, drainage, and movement, 2 24 including but not limited to storm water control measures, as 2 25 determined by the department. 2 26 2. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 2 27 this section to the department of agriculture and land 2 28 stewardship that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 2 29 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 2 30 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until 2 31 the close of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012. 2 32 Sec. 3. EMERGENCY RESTORATION OF SOIL AND WATER 2 33 CONSERVATION PRACTICES NOT COVERED BY FEDERAL OPERATION AND 2 34 MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS. There is appropriated from the 2 35 general fund of the state to the department of agriculture and 3 1 land stewardship for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009, 3 2 and ending June 30, 2010, the following amount, or so much 3 3 thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes 3 4 designated: 3 5 For the restoration of permanent soil and water 3 6 conservation practices in order to prevent future erosion, in 3 7 excess of the applicable soil loss limits, caused by the 3 8 disaster emergency associated with the 2008 precipitation 3 9 event: 3 10 .................................................. $ 6,000,000 3 11 1. The moneys appropriated in this section shall be used 3 12 to provide one=time financing on a cost=share basis as 3 13 provided in chapter 161A, division V, part 2, to assist 3 14 landowners to reconstruct or repair soil and water 3 15 conservation practices which were constructed or maintained 3 16 under an operation and maintenance agreement executed with the 3 17 United States department of agriculture pursuant to 7 C.F.R. 3 18 pt. 654, if the landowners are not eligible to finance the 3 19 restoration under that agreement. 3 20 2. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 3 21 this section to the department of agriculture and land 3 22 stewardship that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 3 23 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 3 24 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until 3 25 the close of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012. 3 26 Sec. 4. CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (CREP). 3 27 There is appropriated from the environment first fund created 3 28 in section 8.57A to the department of agriculture and land 3 29 stewardship for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, and 3 30 ending June 30, 2009, the following amount, or so much thereof 3 31 as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated: 3 32 For the conservation reserve enhancement program as 3 33 provided in 7 C.F.R. pt. 1410, to restore and construct 3 34 wetlands for the purposes of intercepting tile line runoff, 3 35 reducing nutrient loss, improving water quality, and enhancing 4 1 agricultural production practices: 4 2 .................................................. $ 500,000 4 3 Sec. 5. WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS. There is appropriated 4 4 from the general fund of the state to the office of the 4 5 governor for the use of the water resources coordinating 4 6 council established in section 466B.3, for the fiscal year 4 7 beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, the 4 8 following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be 4 9 used for the purposes of developing and implementing 4 10 designated water resource projects in cooperation with other 4 11 state agencies, local governments, or other organizations 4 12 agreeing to participate in the projects, as follows: 4 13 1. WATER QUALITY RESEARCH AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN PROJECT 4 14 To provide for a water quality research and marketing 4 15 campaign project to provide for a greater public conservation 4 16 ethic: 4 17 .................................................. $ 1,000,000 4 18 2. WATERSHED ASSESSMENT PROJECTS 4 19 a. To provide for watershed assessment projects: 4 20 .................................................. $ 10,000,000 4 21 (1) Of the amount appropriated in this paragraph "a", 4 22 $5,000,000 is allocated to assess the state's largest regional 4 23 watersheds, including updating completed assessments, and 4 24 publishing the results of the assessments. 4 25 (2) Of the amount appropriated in this paragraph "a", 4 26 $5,000,000 is allocated to assess priority subwatersheds 4 27 following the completion of a regional watershed assessment as 4 28 provided in subparagraph (1), including updating completed 4 29 assessments, and publishing the results of the assessments. 4 30 The amount may be used for planning, including developing 4 31 objectives, accounting for the physical, social, and financial 4 32 resources of the subwatershed, and implementing a process that 4 33 measures results. 4 34 b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 4 35 paragraph "a" that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 5 1 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 5 2 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until 5 3 the close of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. 5 4 3. COMMUNITY=BASED WATERSHED MONITORING AND MEASURING 5 5 PROJECTS 5 6 a. To provide technical and financial support for 5 7 community=based watershed monitoring and measurement projects: 5 8 .................................................. $ 2,500,000 5 9 b. The projects shall provide local communities with 5 10 information regarding essential water resource questions for 5 11 their community, and to support enhanced local planning and 5 12 local data collection. 5 13 EXPLANATION 5 14 GENERAL. This bill appropriates moneys from the general 5 15 fund of the state to the department of agriculture and land 5 16 stewardship for fiscal periods beginning July 1, 2009, for 5 17 purposes of supporting soil and water conservation efforts. 5 18 STUDY OF THE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT ON 5 19 IOWA HYDROLOGY. The bill appropriates moneys to study the 5 20 impact of agricultural land management on Iowa's hydrology at 5 21 new and existing sites. The department must submit a report 5 22 of its findings to the general assembly in 2011. 5 23 SURFACE WATER CONTROL. The bill appropriates moneys to 5 24 support urban conservation efforts, including by supplementing 5 25 the number of technicians employed by the department to assist 5 26 communities to plan strategies for water storage, drainage, 5 27 and movement. Moneys appropriated to the department do not 5 28 revert at the close of the fiscal year but remain available 5 29 for expenditure until the close of the fiscal year beginning 5 30 July 1, 2012. 5 31 EMERGENCY RESTORATION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION 5 32 PRACTICES NOT COVERED BY FEDERAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 5 33 AGREEMENTS. The bill appropriates moneys to restore permanent 5 34 soil and water conservation practices in order to prevent 5 35 future erosion, in excess of applicable soil loss limits, 6 1 associated with the 2008 snowmelt and rains (precipitation 6 2 event). The moneys must be used to provide one=time financing 6 3 on a cost=share basis to reconstruct or repair soil and water 6 4 conservation practices which were constructed or maintained 6 5 under an operation and maintenance agreement executed with the 6 6 United States department of agriculture. Moneys appropriated 6 7 to the department do not revert at the close of the fiscal 6 8 year but remain available for expenditure until the close of 6 9 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012. 6 10 CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. The bill 6 11 appropriates moneys from the environment first fund to the 6 12 department of agriculture and land stewardship to be used for 6 13 the federal conservation reserve enhancement program to 6 14 restore and construct wetlands for the purposes of 6 15 intercepting tile line runoff, reducing nutrient loss, 6 16 improving water quality, and enhancing agricultural production 6 17 practices. 6 18 WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS. The bill appropriates moneys to 6 19 the office of the governor for use by the water resources 6 20 coordinating council to be used for the purposes of developing 6 21 and implementing designated water resource projects in 6 22 cooperation with other state agencies, local governments, or 6 23 other organizations agreeing to participate in a number of 6 24 projects. It provides for a water quality research and 6 25 marketing campaign project to provide for greater public 6 26 conservation ethic. It provides for watershed assessment 6 27 projects to assess regional watersheds and priority 6 28 subwatersheds, for which moneys that remain unencumbered or 6 29 unobligated at the close of the fiscal year do not revert but 6 30 remain available for expenditure until the close of the fiscal 6 31 year beginning July 1, 2014. Finally, it provides for 6 32 community=based watershed monitoring and measuring projects. 6 33 LSB 2652SV 83 6 34 da/rj/5