Bill Text: IA SF364 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the creation of a water quality control board.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Independent 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-28 - Subcommittee: Rozenboom, Dvorsky, and Shipley. S.J. 426. [SF364 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF364-Introduced.html
Senate File 364 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY D. JOHNSON A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the creation of a water quality control 2 board. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1992XS (4) 87 sr/sc PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 466D.1 Water quality control board 1 2 == creation. 1 3 1. A water quality control board is created to provide 1 4 oversight of all water quality initiatives in the state that 1 5 are funded, in whole or in part, with public moneys in the form 1 6 of grants, loans, or other forms of financial assistance, and 1 7 to oversee implementation of a coordinated, statewide watershed 1 8 approach that ensures Iowans receive a good return on water 1 9 quality investments. 1 10 2. The water quality control board is established in 1 11 the division of soil conservation and water quality of 1 12 the department of agriculture and land stewardship for 1 13 administrative and budgetary purposes. 1 14 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 466D.2 Membership. 1 15 1. The governor shall appoint the members of the water 1 16 quality control board for staggered terms of six years 1 17 beginning and ending as provided by section 69.19, subject to 1 18 confirmation by the senate. The governor shall include within 1 19 the membership: 1 20 a. One member selected by the Iowa state association of 1 21 counties. 1 22 b. One member selected by the Iowa league of cities. 1 23 c. Three members who represent public or private 1 24 institutions or organizations experienced in agricultural 1 25 practices, conservation practices, water quality practices, and 1 26 other persons especially interested in water quality. 1 27 d. Two members representing the general public. 1 28 2. a. Sections 69.16, 69.16A, and 69.19 shall apply to the 1 29 members of the water quality control board. 1 30 b. Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall 1 31 be filled in the same manner as regular appointments are 1 32 made for the unexpired portion of the regular term. In the 1 33 event the governor fails to make an appointment to fill a 1 34 vacancy or fails to submit the appointment to the senate for 1 35 confirmation as required by section 2.32, the senate may make 2 1 the appointment prior to adjournment of the general assembly. 2 2 c. Each member of the board shall be compensated as provided 2 3 in section 7E.6. 2 4 3. The board shall not include any member who has a conflict 2 5 of interest, and a statement by a member that the member has a 2 6 conflict of interest is conclusive for this purpose. 2 7 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 466D.3 Administration of board. 2 8 1. The water quality control board shall conduct business 2 9 according to all of the following: 2 10 a. Four members constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote 2 11 of a majority of the members is necessary for any action taken 2 12 by the board. A vacancy in the membership does not impair the 2 13 right of a quorum of four members to exercise all rights and 2 14 perform all duties of the board. 2 15 b. Meetings of the board shall be held at the call of the 2 16 chairperson or whenever two members so request. 2 17 c. The members shall elect a chairperson and vice 2 18 chairperson annually, and other officers as the members 2 19 determine. 2 20 2. The department of agriculture and land stewardship in 2 21 cooperation with the department of natural resources shall 2 22 assist the board by doing all of the following: 2 23 a. Provide the board with necessary facilities, items, and 2 24 clerical support. 2 25 b. Perform administrative functions necessary for the 2 26 management of the board. 2 27 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 466D.4 Duties and powers. 2 28 In furthering the purposes set forth in section 466D.1, 2 29 subsection 1, the water quality control board shall do all of 2 30 the following: 2 31 1. Request data from the department of agriculture and land 2 32 stewardship, the department of natural resources, and the Iowa 2 33 finance authority relating to water quality initiatives that 2 34 each agency is required to administer. 2 35 2. Oversee statewide watershed assessment, prioritization 3 1 and planning processes of the water resources coordinating 3 2 council established pursuant to section 466B.3, and the 3 3 watershed planning advisory council established pursuant to 3 4 section 466B.31, and other efforts through the department of 3 5 agriculture and land stewardship, the department of natural 3 6 resources, and the Iowa finance authority. 3 7 3. Provide oversight and coordination of state water 3 8 quality project funding and cooperate with state and local 3 9 agencies to develop requirements and evaluation criteria for 3 10 awarding funds, including all of the following: 3 11 a. The project has a coordinated plan and timeline for 3 12 development of a plan. 3 13 b. The project plan includes goals, timelines, monitoring, 3 14 measurement, and progress reports. 3 15 c. The project has the approval and involvement of local 3 16 leadership and the project has received or is an applicant for 3 17 funding from other state, federal, local, and private sources. 3 18 4. Ensure monitoring and results at a small watershed level 3 19 (HUC=12) are available to the public. 3 20 5. Identify additional water quality improvement needs, 3 21 including the need to develop new or innovative programs or 3 22 projects. 3 23 EXPLANATION 3 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 25 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 26 This bill creates a water quality control board established 3 27 in the division of soil conservation and water quality of 3 28 the department of agriculture and land stewardship for 3 29 administrative and budgetary purposes. The purpose of the 3 30 board is to provide oversight of all water quality initiatives 3 31 in the state that are funded, in whole or in part, with 3 32 public moneys in the form of grants, loans, or other forms 3 33 of financial assistance, and to oversee implementation of a 3 34 coordinated, statewide watershed approach that ensures Iowans 3 35 receive a good return on water quality investments. This 4 1 includes cooperating with state and local agencies to develop 4 2 and monitor water quality projects. The board is composed of 4 3 seven voting members appointed by the governor, subject to 4 4 confirmation by the senate. The appointive board shall be 4 5 bipartisan, and no appointment or reappointment shall cause 4 6 the membership of one political party to be greater than 4 7 one=half the membership of the board (Code section 69.16). The 4 8 board shall also be gender balanced (Code section 69.16A). 4 9 Three members shall be persons representing institutions or 4 10 organizations experienced in agriculture, conservation, and 4 11 water quality, one member shall be selected by the Iowa state 4 12 association of counties, one member shall be selected by the 4 13 Iowa league of cities, and two members are to represent the 4 14 general public. 4 15 The bill provides that the board is responsible for 4 16 overseeing water quality initiatives in the state. The 4 17 board is authorized to collect data relating to water quality 4 18 initiatives from the department of agriculture and land 4 19 stewardship, the department of natural resources, and the Iowa 4 20 finance authority to carry out responsibilities to oversee a 4 21 statewide, coordinated water quality initiative approach. The 4 22 board shall also be assisted by the department of agriculture 4 23 and land stewardship and the department of natural resources 4 24 with necessary facilities, items, clerical support, and to 4 25 perform administrative functions necessary for the management 4 26 of the board. LSB 1992XS (4) 87 sr/sc
