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Committee reviews dam safety overhaul: inspections, fees and civil penalties discussed
Summary
Committee members and stakeholders discussed House Bill 21-14, a package of dam safety reforms that would clarify permit scope, add post-construction fees, expand who may perform inspections under PE supervision, publish inundation maps, and create civil penalties of $100–$1,000 per violation; stakeholders agreed to continue working on balloon amendment language.
The Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources reviewed House Bill 21-14, a broad update to laws governing dams and water obstructions that would change permit definitions, add post-construction fees, clarify inspection authority and compliance, and introduce civil penalties.
Kyle Hamilton recused a brief summary: the bill adds a subsection treating certain structures as water obstructions, increases application and post-construction permit fees by hazard class, clarifies that an authorized representative may include a licensed professional engineer approved by the chief engineer, and adds civil penalties and remits penalties to the water structures fund.
Earl Lewis, chief engineer, Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources, said the state has thousands of regulated dams and an inspection program that has gaps: "We have about 2,500…
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