House File 2111 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2111 BY ISENHART A BILL FOR An Act providing for the powers of commissioners of soil and 1 water conservation districts. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5202YH (3) 88 da/ns

H.F. 2111 Section 1. Section 161A.7, subsection 1, paragraphs a and b, 1 Code 2020, are amended to read as follows: 2 a. To conduct surveys, investigations, and research 3 relating to the character of soil erosion and health, soil 4 erosion, water quality, water quantity, floodwater, and 5 sediment damages, and the related preventive and control 6 measures needed, to . A district shall publish the results 7 of such surveys, investigations or , and research activities , 8 and to shall disseminate information concerning such related 9 preventive and control measures ; provided, however, that . 10 However, in order to avoid duplication of a research activities 11 activity , no a district shall not initiate any research program 12 except in cooperation consultation with the Iowa agricultural 13 experiment station located at Ames, Iowa state university 14 of science and technology as provided in chapter 266 , and 15 pursuant to a cooperative agreement entered into between the 16 district and the Iowa agricultural experiment station and such 17 district or a public or private entity recognized by the Iowa 18 agricultural experiment station . 19 b. To conduct demonstrational demonstration projects within 20 the district on lands owned or controlled by this state or any 21 of its agencies, with the consent and cooperation of the agency 22 administering and having jurisdiction thereof of those lands , 23 and or on any other lands within the district upon obtaining 24 the consent of the owner or occupier of such lands or the 25 holder of the necessary rights or interests in such lands , in 26 order to demonstrate by example . The information collected 27 from the demonstration projects shall be used to improve the 28 means, methods, and measures by which soil and soil or water 29 resources may be conserved , and ; soil health or water quality 30 enhanced; soil erosion in the form of soil blowing and soil 31 washing may be prevented and controlled; provided, however, 32 that in order to avoid duplication of agricultural extension 33 activities, no and flooding may be prevented or reduced. A 34 district shall initiate any demonstrational projects, except 35 -1- LSB 5202YH (3) 88 da/ns 1/ 3

H.F. 2111 a demonstration project in cooperation consultation with the 1 Iowa agricultural extension service whose offices are located 2 at Ames, Iowa , state university of science and technology 3 as provided in chapter 266, and pursuant to a cooperative 4 agreement entered into between the district and the Iowa 5 agricultural extension service and such district or a public or 6 private entity recognized by the Iowa agricultural extension 7 service . 8 Sec. 2. Section 161A.7, subsection 1, paragraph n, 9 subparagraph (1), unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2020, is amended 10 to read as follows: 11 The district plan shall contain a comprehensive long-range 12 assessment of soil and surface water resources in the district 13 consistent with rules approved by the committee under section 14 161A.4 . In developing the plan the district may receive 15 technical support from the United States department of 16 agriculture natural resources conservation service and the 17 county board of supervisors in the county where the district 18 is located. The division , and the Iowa cooperative extension 19 service in agriculture and home economics , or a public or 20 private entity recognized by the Iowa agricultural extension 21 service, may provide technical support to the district. The 22 support may include but is not limited to the following: 23 EXPLANATION 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 25 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 26 GENERAL. This bill amends Code chapter 161A, the “Soil 27 Conservation Districts Law” (Code section 161A.1), including 28 provisions governing the powers of commissioners of soil and 29 water conservation districts (districts) relating to the 30 prevention of soil erosion, flooding, and sediment damage (Code 31 section 161A.7). The commissioners are the governing body 32 of each of the state’s 100 districts (Code section 161A.5), 33 working in conjunction with the division of soil conservation 34 and water quality of the department of agriculture and land 35 -2- LSB 5202YH (3) 88 da/ns 2/ 3

H.F. 2111 stewardship (division) and the state soil conservation and 1 water quality committee (Code section 161A.4). 2 POWERS. The bill amends provisions authorizing 3 commissioners to exercise a number of powers, subject to 4 certain limitations, including to conduct (1) surveys, 5 investigations, research activities, and (2) demonstration 6 projects. The bill provides that the commissioners must also 7 act to conserve or enhance soil health and water resources, 8 and reduce the effects of flooding. The bill provides that 9 when conducting research activities or demonstration projects, 10 the commissioners must consult rather than cooperate with Iowa 11 state university (ISU); either with the Iowa agricultural 12 experiment station or the Iowa agricultural extension service. 13 The bill also provides that the commissioners are no longer 14 required to enter into a cooperative agreement with ISU if 15 they enter into an agreement with a public or private entity 16 recognized by ISU. 17 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. Under current law, the commissioners 18 are required to develop a soil and water resource conservation 19 plan for their district (a comprehensive long-range assessment 20 of soil and water resources) with technical support provided 21 by the division or ISU. The bill provides that the technical 22 support may be provided by a public or private entity 23 recognized by ISU. 24 -3- LSB 5202YH (3) 88 da/ns 3/ 3