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Senate substitutes dam-safety bill, narrows scope to high-hazard dams
Summary
A substitute to Senate Bill 47 was presented to limit 1990 dam-safety requirements primarily to high-hazard dams and reduce estimated statewide retrofit costs; the substitute was placed on third reading with a fiscal note reported on the floor.
Senator Blackcomb presented a substitute to Senate Bill 47 that changes the 1990 dam-safety law by establishing criteria focused on high-hazard dams and reducing the number of structures subject to costly studies. On the floor he described the fiscal context: while the prior legislation applied broadly to 1,200–1,400 dams and implied a potential $150M–$200M price tag for owners, the substitute sets narrower criteria, includes a $1,015,000 fiscal note for implementation, and — he said — could reduce overall compliance costs materially.
Blackcomb said the substitute retains high-hazard dams on the regulated list, reduces the moderate-risk category, and adjusts spillway and seismic requirements so that only dams that present combined flood-and-earthquake risk would face the most stringent requirements. He urged support, described the substitute as a remedy for hardships created by the 1990 law, and called for a vote. The clerk recorded the substitute on the third-reading calendar as 'substitute senate bill 47 shows 25 ayes, no nays, 4 being absent.'
