SF 344 is the big bill being pushed by the Assoc. of Business and Industry. It has a lot of bad provisions, but one of the enviro-related issues was replacing the state endangered/threatened species lists with the federal list (which is smaller and less comprehensive for Iowa). Lyle and others had received assurances earlier that that provision was taken out of the bill, but Sen. Wieck from NW Iowa (who is also the floor manager for the bill) has offered an amendment to address this issue again. The amendment (3121) would mean that if Iowa DOT does a highway project using only state money, the state endangered/threatened species list would be used. But if the Iowa DOT uses federal money for a project, the federal E/T species list would be used. Please call your Senator right away. This bill could be debated this afternoon. Senate File 344 1 An Act concerning regulatory and statutory requirements impacting 2 business relating to liability reform, unemployment 3 compensation benefits eligibility and employer contributions, 4 workers' compensation, occupational safety and health 5 administration training and compliance requirements, financial 6 services and restrictions on property rights, environmental 7 regulatory requirements, and public project contractor 8 requirements. Senate Amendment 3121 PAG LIN 1 1 Amend Senate File 344 as follows: 1 2 #1. Page 44, by striking lines 15 through 18. 1 3 #2. By striking page 46, line 29, through page 47, 1 4 line 17, and inserting the following: 1 5 <Sec. . Section 481B.4, Code 2003, is amended 1 6 by adding the following new unnumbered paragraph after 1 7 unnumbered paragraph 2: 1 8 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. If the state department 1 9 of transportation conducts a highway project using 1 10 only state moneys, the list in section 481B.5, 1 11 subsection 1, shall be used to determine whether the 1 12 project encroaches on the habitat of an endangered 1 13 species of fish, plants, or wildlife. If the state 1 14 department of transportation conducts a highway 1 15 project using, at least in part, federal moneys, the 1 16 lists in section 481B.5, subsections 2, 3, and 4, 1 17 shall be used to determine whether the project 1 18 encroaches on the habitat of an endangered species of 1 19 fish, plants, or wildlife.> 1 20 #3. By renumbering as necessary. 1 21 1 22 1 23 1 24 RON WIECK 1 25 SF 344.505 80 1 26 tm/pj Erin E. Jordahl Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club 3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280 Des Moines, IA 50310 515-277-8868 [log in to unmask] www.iowa.sierraclub.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]