Iowa lawmakers are sending a voluntary water quality bill to Gov. Kim Reynolds that doesn’t require comprehensive monitoring of water pollution.
The House voted 59-41 Tuesday for the legislation, which passed in the Senate last session and remained alive in the two-year legislative calendar.
The bill would create a fund that redistributes tax money currently going to Iowa’s state budget.
It also takes money from an existing infrastructure fund.
Republican John Wills of Spirit Lake has worked as a water quality coordinator at the Iowa Lakes for two decades:
OC……future conversations. ;20
Iowa has faced water pollution issues for years, and research shows it’s tied in part to farm runoff.
A state-supported water quality initiative, known as the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, estimates effectively addressing the issue would cost billions of dollars.
The bill is expected to generate $282 million over 12 years.
Radio Iowa/AP