States improve dam safety legislation and regulations
- ASDSO, Lexington, KY (United States)
Several state dam safety agencies have helped their state governments pass new dam safety legislation of regulations during the past year. Improvements in the laws range from establishing or raising permit fees, to boosting requirements for professional licenses, to requiring emergency action plans for all significant and high-hazard dams. ASDSO tracks dam safety legislation and laws to help keep the association's members informed on progress in dam safety. In New Jersey, lawmakers passed legislation providing $1.7 million in loans for engineering studies on high-hazard dams. Similarly in Minnesota, lawmakers approved legislation providing $1.6 million for repair or removal of dams. In Colorado, new legislation creates an emergency dam repair cash fund for state engineers to cover costs of emergency actions. In South Carolina, the General Assembly passed major amendments to the Dams and Reservoirs Safety Act. The amendments require that dam owners notify the state within 30 days after title to a dam is transferred, and stipulate that owners of high-hazard and significant hazard dams prepare emergency action plans. The state also may require normal maintenance on a dam; previously, the dam had to be declared unsafe before and order could be issued. A number of other states are working on new legislation, guidelines, or regulations, including Massachusetts, New York, Washington, and Wyoming. Forty-eight states have dam safety legislation in place; Alabama and Delaware are without such legislation.
- OSTI ID:
- 6319946
- Journal Information:
- Hydro Review; (United States), Vol. 12:3; ISSN 0884-0385
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DAMS
SAFETY
STATE GOVERNMENT
LEGISLATION
LICENSING REGULATIONS
MASSACHUSETTS
MINNESOTA
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
SOUTH CAROLINA
WASHINGTON
WYOMING
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
NORTH AMERICA
REGULATIONS
USA
130400* - Hydro Energy- Legislation & Regulations
130800 - Hydro Energy- Health & Safety- (1990-)