SENATE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON DANIELSON)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the identification of historic properties by certain rural electric cooperatives.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  303.19A  Effort required of rural electric cooperatives receiving federal funding to identify historic properties.
   1.  When constructing electric distribution and transmission facilities, a rural electric cooperative receiving federal funding for the construction shall only be required to conduct an archeological site survey of its proposed route when, based upon a review of existing information on historic properties within the area of potential effects of the construction, it is determined that a historic property, as defined by the federal National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, is likely to exist within the proposed route.
   2.  An archeological site survey required to be conducted by a rural electric cooperative shall be designed to be no more arduous than the reasonable and good faith effort required under the federal National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, as interpreted by the advisory council on historic preservation, shall reflect the public interest, and shall take into account the likelihood and magnitude of potential impacts to historic properties and project costs.
EXPLANATION
   The department of cultural affairs is responsible for administering the Iowa cultural resources survey and registration program which is to be operated in accordance with federal law. Site surveys of proposed routes of construction that have the potential to impact historic properties may be requested under this program if federal funds are used to finance the construction. 
   This bill establishes specific standards for surveys by rural electric cooperatives. The bill requires a rural electric cooperative to perform a site survey only when a historic property is likely to exist on the property. The survey itself must be a reasonable and good faith effort, balancing the impacts on the historic property and the project costs.