The bill amends the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to enhance regulations surrounding the discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage from sewer systems. Key provisions include a requirement for responsible parties to notify local health departments and newspapers in affected counties within 24 hours prior to a discharge, detailing the volume, quality, and impacted areas. It also mandates testing of affected waters for E. coli and outlines the responsibilities of sewer system operators to comply with permits and state regulations. The bill introduces civil penalties for failing to provide notice, with fines up to $500,000, and imposes stricter penalties for individuals knowingly violating discharge laws.

Additionally, the bill establishes a discharge recovery fund, allowing the state treasurer to receive and manage funds from various sources, ensuring that interest and earnings are credited back to the fund. It specifies that unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year will not lapse into the general fund and designates the department as the fund's administrator. The bill also outlines the process for expending money from the fund, enabling the department to issue grants to counties affected by sewage discharges, with a requirement for grant applications to be submitted in a prescribed manner and criteria for issuance to be published online.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 324.3112, 324.3115