House File 531 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 531 BY ISENHART , BENNETT , FORBES , FINKENAUER , HEDDENS , STAED , STUTSMAN , KELLEY , PRICHARD , DUNKEL , RUFF , WESSEL-KROESCHELL , and OLSON A BILL FOR An Act making an appropriation to the department of natural 1 resources to support watershed projects administered by 2 watershed management authorities. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1868YH (4) 86 da/nh
H.F. 531 Section 1. WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES —— 1 APPROPRIATION. 2 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state 3 to the department of natural resources for the fiscal year 4 beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, the following 5 amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the 6 purposes designated: 7 For purposes of supporting watershed management authorities 8 created pursuant to section 466B.22 to administer special 9 projects: 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4,000,000 11 2. A special project must provide for any of the following: 12 a. Maximizing soil and water holding capacity of soil from 13 precipitation. 14 b. Minimizing severe soil erosion and sand deposition 15 during floods. 16 c. Managing water runoff in uplands under saturated soil 17 moisture conditions. 18 d. Reducing and mitigating structural and nonstructural 19 flood damage. 20 e. Reducing pollutant loading in order to minimize the 21 presence of escherichia coli, nitrogen, and phosphorus in 22 waterways. 23 3. The department shall expend moneys appropriated in 24 subsection 1 by awarding grants to watershed management 25 authorities on a competitive basis. The department shall 26 consult with the department of agriculture and land stewardship 27 in establishing criteria in awarding such grants. 28 4. The department shall expend moneys appropriated in 29 subsection 1 to support a special project on a matching basis. 30 For every two dollars contributed by the state under this 31 section, one dollar must be contributed by a person other than 32 the state. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -1- LSB 1868YH (4) 86 da/nh 1/ 2
H.F. 531 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill appropriates moneys from the general fund of the 2 state to the department of natural resources for purposes of 3 supporting watershed management authorities in administering 4 special projects that maximize soil and water resources, 5 minimize erosion, manage water runoff, reduce flood damage, 6 and minimize the presence of escherichia coli, nitrites, and 7 phosphorus in waterways. The department is required to expend 8 the moneys on a competitive grant basis with a requirement that 9 for every $2 of state moneys contributed $1 must be contributed 10 from a nonstate source. The department must consult with the 11 department of agriculture and land stewardship in awarding the 12 grants. 13 -2- LSB 1868YH (4) 86 da/nh 2/ 2