This bill outlines a procedure for the Department of Environmental Services to transfer ownership of state-owned dams, along with associated property, easements, and water rights, to municipalities or other interested parties. The bill mandates that at least one year before the removal of any state-owned dam, the department must offer the transfer of ownership to the municipality where the dam is located. The municipality's legislative body must then decide whether to accept the transfer and consider any long-term debt issuance necessary for the transfer and to address any deficiencies. If the municipality rejects the offer, the department must then offer the transfer to any association of landowners or interested parties capable of assessing local property taxes or issuing debt. These parties have 90 days to consider the transfer. If no offers are accepted within this period, the department may proceed with the dam's removal.

Exceptions to this procedure include situations where the dam is in imminent danger of failure and poses a threat to lives and property downstream, or if there is a compelling environmental interest in the dam's removal. When offering a transfer, the department is required to provide all relevant information about the dam's condition, repair costs, ongoing maintenance, inspection, or licensing requirements, and other costs associated with taking ownership. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2024. There are no insertions or deletions marked in the provided text, so the summary does not mention any specific changes to existing law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 482:55
As Amended by the Senate: 6:12