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House File 102 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1providing for a statewide soil resource health and
2recovery monitoring system.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 466B.51 Soil resource health and
2recovery monitoring system.
31. The division in cooperation with the center shall
4establish a statewide soil resource health and recovery
5monitoring system that receives data regarding the continued
6capacity of this state’s soils to permanently sustain plant and
7animal life. As part of the program, the division shall adopt
8long-term objectives and short-term interim goals or benchmarks
9on a statewide and regional basis.
102. The system shall provide for methods to measure, analyze,
11and track all of the following:
12a. A soil’s nutrient retention capacity and a soil’s
13fertility.
14b. The structure, stability, and compaction of a soil.
15c. Soil depth and degrees of soil erosion.
16d. The capacity of a soil to retain precipitation and its
17capacity to filter the transport of nutrients.
18e. A soil’s habitat for earthworms and soil microbes.
19f. The value of a soil to produce crops, and levels of
20nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium
21present in a soil.
223. The division in cooperation with the center shall do all
23of the following:
24a. Evaluate its progress in administering the program to
25ensure its long-term viability and improvement.
26b. Collaborate with participating landowners. The division
27may enter into maintenance agreements or easements with
28participating landowners.
294. a. Beginning December 13, 2020, and not later than
30each two years after that anniversary date, the division in
31cooperation with the center shall submit a soil resource health
32and recovery report to the governor and general assembly.
33b. The report shall provide a summary of the division’s
34activities, findings, and recommendations to sustain and
35improve this state’s soil resources, including methods to
-1-1assist in the recovery of soil health. The recommendation
2shall include proposed legislation or administrative rules.
3EXPLANATION
4The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
5the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
6This bill requires the division of soil conservation
7and water quality of the department of agriculture and land
8stewardship, in cooperation with the Iowa nutrient research
9center associated with Iowa state university of science and
10technology, to establish a statewide soil resources health and
11recovery monitoring system in order to measure, analyze, and
12track soil health regarding the continued capacity of this
13state’s soils to permanently sustain plant and animal life.
14The division and center must collaborate with participating
15landowners. The division and center must submit a report to
16the governor and general assembly every two years, beginning
17December 13, 2020, that summarizes the division’s activities,
18findings, and recommendations.
-2-da/rn
2recovery monitoring system.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 466B.51 Soil resource health and
2recovery monitoring system.
31. The division in cooperation with the center shall
4establish a statewide soil resource health and recovery
5monitoring system that receives data regarding the continued
6capacity of this state’s soils to permanently sustain plant and
7animal life. As part of the program, the division shall adopt
8long-term objectives and short-term interim goals or benchmarks
9on a statewide and regional basis.
102. The system shall provide for methods to measure, analyze,
11and track all of the following:
12a. A soil’s nutrient retention capacity and a soil’s
13fertility.
14b. The structure, stability, and compaction of a soil.
15c. Soil depth and degrees of soil erosion.
16d. The capacity of a soil to retain precipitation and its
17capacity to filter the transport of nutrients.
18e. A soil’s habitat for earthworms and soil microbes.
19f. The value of a soil to produce crops, and levels of
20nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium
21present in a soil.
223. The division in cooperation with the center shall do all
23of the following:
24a. Evaluate its progress in administering the program to
25ensure its long-term viability and improvement.
26b. Collaborate with participating landowners. The division
27may enter into maintenance agreements or easements with
28participating landowners.
294. a. Beginning December 13, 2020, and not later than
30each two years after that anniversary date, the division in
31cooperation with the center shall submit a soil resource health
32and recovery report to the governor and general assembly.
33b. The report shall provide a summary of the division’s
34activities, findings, and recommendations to sustain and
35improve this state’s soil resources, including methods to
-1-1assist in the recovery of soil health. The recommendation
2shall include proposed legislation or administrative rules.
3EXPLANATION
4The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
5the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
6This bill requires the division of soil conservation
7and water quality of the department of agriculture and land
8stewardship, in cooperation with the Iowa nutrient research
9center associated with Iowa state university of science and
10technology, to establish a statewide soil resources health and
11recovery monitoring system in order to measure, analyze, and
12track soil health regarding the continued capacity of this
13state’s soils to permanently sustain plant and animal life.
14The division and center must collaborate with participating
15landowners. The division and center must submit a report to
16the governor and general assembly every two years, beginning
17December 13, 2020, that summarizes the division’s activities,
18findings, and recommendations.
-2-da/rn