Relating to underground storage tanks, including repealing the Iowa comprehensive petroleum underground storage tank fund and eliminating the Iowa comprehensive petroleum underground storage tank fund board, making appropriations, and including effective date and transition provisions

This bill relates to the use of moneys in the storage tank management account of the groundwater protection fund (GPF) that are transferred from the Iowa comprehensive petroleum underground storage tank fund. The GPF includes four accounts related to groundwater: the solid waste account, the agriculture management account, the household hazardous waste account, and the storage tank management account. The Iowa comprehensive petroleum underground storage tank fund (CPUSTF) assists owners and operators of petroleum underground storage tanks in complying with federal regulations. Currently, the CPUSTF exists under the control of the CPUSTF board. The bill repeals the CPUSTF and eliminates the CPUSTF board. The bill transfers moneys currently in the CPUSTF to the GPF for deposit in the storage tank management account. The bill requires the department of natural resources (department) to establish and administer the storage tank management account financing program to distribute financial assistance for work conducted by eligible entities using moneys transferred pursuant to the bill. The program allows a claimant who was previously eligible for assistance from the CPUSTF to receive reimbursement from the storage tank management account for all or part of the costs of corrective action for a petroleum release. A portion of the moneys transferred pursuant to the bill are appropriated to the department for the purposes of providing reimbursement to tank owners for all or part of the costs of a corrective action; for permanently closing an underground storage tank system; assessment and corrective action arising out of a release; and tank operator training. Of the moneys transferred to the GPF pursuant to the bill, $250,000 per year is appropriated to the department of agriculture and land stewardship to inspect fuel quality at terminals and facilities. The bill allows for cost recovery efforts from potentially responsible parties when moneys from the storage tank management account are used during the cleanup of contamination at a tank site. The bill directs the environmental protection commission to adopt rules for program eligibility, investigating and settling claims made against the fund, appeal procedures, community remediation, prioritization of fund moneys, funding for tank operator training, additional assessment and corrective action arising out of a release at a site for which a no further action certificate has been issued, and reimbursement for the permanent closure of an underground storage tank system. The bill provides that claims for releases filed on or after the effective date of the bill are not eligible for payment from the Iowa comprehensive petroleum underground storage tank fund. The bill includes transition provisions retaining the effectiveness of rules, regulations, forms, orders, or directives promulgated by the CPUSTF board until amended, repealed, or supplemented by affirmative action of the department. Any moneys credited to the CPUSTF on and after the effective date of the bill are transferred to the department for deposit in the storage tank management account. The division of the bill that includes transition provisions takes effect upon enactment of the bill.