Colleagues:
Here are update notes on legislation that the Governor has now
completed his actions upon. The underlined bill numbers should work as
a live weblink for you to see the bill text.
MISC bills of interest:
On May 22, the Governor signed into law, HF 826 relating to the
comprehensive recycling planning task force. Note that on page 2, line
35, I was able to get Sierra Club added as a task force member.
The Governor did sign, on May 22, HF 756 an act relating to regional
watershed, land use, and flood plain management policies, and
providing for the establishment of a council. Note that there is an
opportunity to have an appointment to this council.
HF 722 relating to regulation of certain conservation and recreation
activities under the jurisdiction of the department of natural
resources, modifying fees, establishing an upland game bird study
advisory committee, making penalties applicable, and providing an
immediate effective date, was signed on May 22. NOTE again that on
page 29, line 31, I had added Sierra Club as a member of the upland
game bird study advisory committee.
HJR 1 joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of
the State of Iowa to dedicate a portion of state revenue from the tax
imposed on certain retail sales of tangible personal property and
services for the benefit of the state's natural resources. The is the
proposed constitutional amendment (not requiring a Governor’s
signature) which will now be on the ballot in 2010, and was passed
early in the Session.
On May 4, the Governor had signed SF 151 relating to railway
assistance and passenger rail service, including provisions for the
administration of the railway revolving loan and grant fund, the
elimination of the railway finance authority, and the administration
of the passenger rail service revolving fund. A very good initiative
toward future passenger rail.
SF 482 an act relating to programs administered by the commission on
volunteer service by establishing Iowa summer youth corps and green
corps programs and other provisions. I thought you might be interested
in this one!
FLOOD RESPONSE bills:
On April 20, the Governor had signed HF 468, an act creating an
unsewered community revolving loan program and fund. This was passed
especially in response to the catastrophic floods of last summer.
HF 759 requiring counties and cities with flood hazard areas within
their boundaries to participate in the national flood insurance
program and requiring preparation of a flood insurance report by
commissioner of insurance was signed by the Governor on May 22. This
is very important from our viewpoint of course.
SF 339 relating to wastewater treatment. This bill is significant to
enabling and assisting communities to upgrade wastewater treatment
facilities, as highlighted by the affects of the devastating floods of
last summer.
APPROPRIATIONS bills:
HF 820 relating to state and local financial matters by revising
certain appropriations and appropriating federal funds made available
from federal block grants, federal American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 funding, and other federal grants, allocating portions of
federal block grants, and providing procedures if federal funds are
more or less than anticipated or if federal block grants are more or
less than anticipated, and including effective and retroactive
applicability date provisions. This is the bill allocating the Federal
Stimulus Funding. There is much in it relating to water quality and
energy efficiency, and other environmental, conservation and natural
resource issues.
HF 822 relating to and making, reducing, and transferring
appropriations to state departments and agencies from the rebuild Iowa
infrastructure fund, the technology reinvestment fund, and other funds
creating and funding the Iowa flood center, providing for related
matters, and providing effective and retroactive applicability date
provisions. This bill also has significant funding for water quality
and other environmental, conservation and natural resource matters.
This is where the Environment First Fund appropriating happens annually.
SF 376 creating an Iowa jobs program, an Iowa jobs board, and Iowa
jobs fund, authorizing the issuance of bonds, including the issuance
of tax-exempt bonds, making and revising appropriations, and providing
an effective date. This was a major part of the Governor’s bonding
proposal and contains funding for projects relating to a broad range
of infrastructure enhancement and replacement, including drinking
water and wastewater, bridges, schools, and other facilities.
SF 467 making appropriations involving state government, by providing
for agriculture, natural resources, and environmental protection. This
is the annual appropriations bill for the operations of the Department
of Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship. We follow this one very closely each year!
ENERGY Bills:
As you will note, this was a significant area of achievement this
Session, albeit not necessarily bold and broad.
HF 810 providing for the establishment of small wind innovation zones,
providing for the applicability of tax credits, and including
effective and retroactive applicability date provisions. This is an
excellent community-based small wind initiative!
HF 817 relating to the research activities tax credit for innovative
renewable energy generation components and making an appropriation and
providing applicability date provisions.
SF 279 provides for the establishment of an abbreviated electric
transmission franchise process. This provisions allows for upgrading
of current lines in current rights of way, to new technology. It was a
non-con.
SF 452 directing the office of energy independence to establish a
community grant program for energy efficiency projects, and allocating
appropriated amounts for purposes of funding the program. This was a
primary interest bill for Sierra Club, and took a long time for
legislators to actually develop. It establishes energy efficiency
initiatives.
SF 456 modifying provisions applicable to facilities qualifying for
wind energy production and renewable energy tax credits and including
effective and retroactive applicability date provisions. This bill
extends and expands the tax credits program for wind & renewable
energy. Good bill.
SF 471 relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy, including
allocating appropriated amounts from the Iowa power fund to fund tax
credits for innovative renewable energy generation components,
transferring authority over specified energy-related measures and
programs from the department of natural resources to the office of
energy independence, providing transition provisions relating to the
transfer of authority. This was perhaps the major energy bill of the
Session. It restructures the state energy programs, and focuses the
direction of Iowa energy policy.
MANURE bills:
He had of course already signed HF 735 providing for the stockpiling
of dry manure originating from confinement feeding operations, making
penalties applicable, April 2.
As I reported earlier, the Governor did sign SF 432, the Liquid Manure
on Frozen Ground Bill, yesterday.
NOTE:
These are the most relevant bills of interest to our Chapter over the
2009 Session. I am sure there may have been others of minor interest I
might have included, or even others that individuals in the Club would
have an interest in. The weblink for the complete listing of Enrolled
Bills (so bills that went to the Governor) with bill numbers, titles
and live links to the bill, as this one: 2009 Just click the
underlined year to see the list.
I wanted to get this to you right away, as I leave town for 2 ½ weeks
tomorrow. We will be attending graduation in Colorado Springs, then
camping, hiking, photographing and generally r’n’r’ing in Grand
Canyon, and the canyonlands parks of southern Utah, returning on June
16 or so.
Lyle
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