Bill
Bill > HF480
IA HF480
IA HF480A bill for an act relating to beneficial use in the context of water allocation.(See HF 861.)
summary
Introduced
02/19/2025
02/19/2025
In Committee
02/19/2025
02/19/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill relates to beneficial use of water allocation. Under current law, for the purposes of subchapter III, part 4, of Code chapter 455B, “beneficial use” is defined as the application of water to a useful purpose that inures to the benefit of the water user and subject to the user’s dominion and control but does not include the waste or pollution of water. The bill strikes the definition and provides that beneficial use is determined by the department of natural resources on a case-by-case basis when determining whether to grant a permit for the diversion, storage, or withdrawal of water, and must not be based on the category of use.
AI Summary
This bill modifies water allocation regulations in Iowa by changing how "beneficial use" is defined and determined for water permits. Currently, beneficial use is defined as the application of water to a useful purpose that benefits the water user and is under their control. The bill removes this existing definition and instead requires the Department of Natural Resources to determine beneficial use on a case-by-case basis when considering water diversion, storage, or withdrawal permits, rather than relying on predefined use categories. The bill also makes minor linguistic adjustments to the permit processing language, such as replacing "where" with "when" in certain contexts. Importantly, the bill maintains the existing requirement that permit applications must be processed within specific timeframes (90 days for new permits, 30 days for renewals) and continue to include conditions for conservation practices. This change gives the Department of Natural Resources more flexibility in evaluating water permit applications by allowing a more nuanced, individualized assessment of what constitutes a beneficial use of water.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (5)
Last Action
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 861. (on 03/07/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF480 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF480.html |
Loading...