HF 2298 (LSB 6037YH (2) 85)

HOUSE FILE 2298

BY  KAJTAZOVIC

A BILL FOR

An Act imposing a moratorium on the mining of silica sand and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  SILICA SAND MINING —— MORATORIUM.
   1.  For purposes of this section, “silica sand” means well-rounded, sand-sized grains of quartz, also known as silicon dioxide, with few impurities in terms of other minerals that is typically used in the process of hydraulic fracturing of shale. “Silica sand” does not include common rock, stone, aggregate, gravel, sand with a low quartz level, or silica compounds recovered as a by-product of metallic mining.
   2.  On or after the effective date of this Act, the department of agriculture and land stewardship shall not issue a new mining license pursuant to section 208.7 for an operator to engage in the mining of silica sand and shall not approve the registration of a new mine site for silica sand pursuant to section 208.9.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the mining of silica sand.
   The bill prohibits the department of agriculture and land stewardship, on or after the effective date of the bill, from issuing a new mining license for an operator to engage in the mining of silica sand and from approving the registration of a new mine site for silica sand.
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.