Senate File 417 - Introduced





                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT
                                           AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1192)


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

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act providing a task force on regional watershed, land use,
  2    and floodplain management policies.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1725SV 83
  5 da/rj/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  TASK FORCE ON REGIONAL WATERSHED, LAND USE, AND
  1  2 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT POLICIES.  A task force on regional
  1  3 watershed, land use, and floodplain management policies is
  1  4 created.
  1  5    1.  The members of the task force include all of the
  1  6 following:
  1  7    a.  Fifteen members appointed by the governor who may
  1  8 include persons interested in agriculture, natural habitat,
  1  9 natural resources, hydrology and geography, floodplain
  1 10 management, water quality, land use planning, urban
  1 11 development, utilities, and related areas as determined
  1 12 appropriate by the governor.
  1 13    b.  Four members of the general assembly, two senators
  1 14 appointed by the majority leader and minority leader in the
  1 15 senate and two members of the house of representatives
  1 16 appointed by the speaker of the house and the house minority
  1 17 leader as provided in sections 2.32A and 69.16B.
  1 18    2.  The task force shall develop comprehensive policies
  1 19 that whenever practical address regional watershed management,
  1 20 floodplain management, and associated land uses based on all
  1 21 of the following principles:
  1 22    a.  The preservation or enhancement of natural resources,
  1 23 including by providing for soil and water conservation
  1 24 practices and environmental protection.
  1 25    b.  Sustainable development that includes smart growth
  1 26 strategies and green design and construction approaches.
  1 27    c.  The mitigation of losses that could occur as a result
  1 28 of natural disasters, including losses occurring within
  1 29 floodplains.
  1 30    3.  The comprehensive policies developed by the task force
  1 31 shall be used by state and local governments in preparing
  1 32 plans for watershed management, floodplain management, and
  1 33 associated land uses.
  1 34    4.  a.  The rebuild Iowa office shall provide staff and
  1 35 resources to the task force.
  2  1    b.  State agencies shall cooperate with the task force as
  2  2 directed by the governor.  The cooperating state agencies
  2  3 shall include the department of agriculture and land
  2  4 stewardship, the department of natural resources, the
  2  5 department of transportation, the department of economic
  2  6 development, the water resources coordinating council, the
  2  7 watershed improvement review board, the city development
  2  8 board, the state building code advisory council, and regents
  2  9 institutions.
  2 10    5.  The task force shall submit a report to the governor
  2 11 and general assembly not later than January 11, 2010, which
  2 12 provides a summary of its activities and any recommendations
  2 13 for legislative action.
  2 14    6.  This section is repealed on January 11, 2011.
  2 15                           EXPLANATION
  2 16    This bill establishes a task force on regional watershed,
  2 17 floodplain management, and land use policies.  Fifteen members
  2 18 of the task force are appointed by the governor and may
  2 19 include persons interested in agriculture, natural resources,
  2 20 floodplain management, water quality, land use planning and
  2 21 development, and utilities.  Four members of the task force
  2 22 are appointed by the general assembly.  The purpose of the
  2 23 task force is to develop comprehensive policies that address
  2 24 regional watershed management and associated land uses based
  2 25 on the preservation or enhancement of natural resources,
  2 26 sustainable development, and the mitigation of losses that
  2 27 could occur as a result of natural disasters.  The
  2 28 comprehensive policies are to be used by state and local
  2 29 governments in preparing plans for watershed management,
  2 30 floodplain management, and associated land uses.  The rebuild
  2 31 Iowa office is responsible for staffing the agency, and other
  2 32 state agencies are required to cooperate with the task force.
  2 33 The task force must submit a report to the governor and
  2 34 general assembly in January 2010.
  2 35 LSB 1725SV 83
  3  1 da/rj/8