HB 1538 Summary

• Establishes permitting and inspection standards for dams and reservoirs 25+ feet high or with 50+ acre-feet storage capacity, requiring applications with engineering plans, maintenance plans, emergency action plans, and hazard potential classifications.

• Creates dam rehabilitation loan revolving fund supported by legislative appropriations, federal funds, and revenue bonds, providing loans up to 100% of rehabilitation costs for repairs and dam removal with terms up to 20 years.

• Mandates periodic inspections by consulting engineers hired by dam owners: annually for high hazard dams, every two years for significant hazard dams, and every five years for low hazard dams, with reports filed with the department.

• Requires dam owners to develop and update emergency action plans identifying inundated areas, notification procedures, and responsibilities for high and significant hazard potential dams, subject to department review and approval.

• Authorizes the department to take emergency control of dangerous dams, including lowering water levels or draining reservoirs, and empowers dam owners to bill violators for remedial costs; reduces administrative penalty cap from $25,000 to $10,000 per violation.