A bill for an act relating to duties of the department of natural resources related to air quality including reporting requirements, certifications, data gathering, and rules references.

2025-2026 Regular Session

The bill modernizes DNR air-quality duties by aligning reporting with EPA timelines, reducing duplicative state data collection, and relying on federal inventories where feasible.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 847.

#airquality #naturalresourcesdepartment

Summary: House Study Bill 103 (HSB 103) – Relating to DNR duties on air quality

Status and background
- Introduced: January 29, 2025
- Committee actions: Subcommittee recommended passage (Feb 3, 2025); Committee recommended passage and approved (Mar 4, 2025); Committee report approved (Mar 7, 2025) and renumbered as HF 847.
- Topic: Air quality and duties of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Purpose and major intent
- The bill reorganizes and clarifies DNR responsibilities related to air quality, with an emphasis on aligning state reporting with federal (EPA) processes and reducing duplicative or outdated state requirements.

Key provisions and changes
- Reporting timeframe for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Currently: DNR must submit a yearly report to the governor and General Assembly by Dec 31 detailing GHG emissions in the prior calendar year.
- Change: The reporting would cover emissions from two calendar years prior to the current year, aligning with EPA’s inventory schedule. If the EPA’s statewide GHG inventory is completed, it may fulfill the state reporting requirement.
- Administrative code realignment
- Emission fees and operating permits: Rules moved from 567 IAC Chapter 22 to 567 IAC Chapter 24.
- The bill removes specified rule references to conform to the Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) changes.
- Elimination of certain state duties
- Repeals the provision requiring the Environmental Protection Commission to adopt rules for certifying solid waste incinerator operators.
- Repeals the state requirements for DNR to create a GHG inventory by collecting data from GHG producers and coordinating with EPA, and to establish a voluntary GHG registry.
- Interaction with federal requirements
- Acknowledges that federal regulations govern GHG reporting and voluntary registries; suspends or repeals equivalent state duties to avoid duplicative requirements.
- DNR would rely on federal processes for GHG reporting where applicable.

Who and what is affected
- State agencies: DNR (air quality program) and the Environmental Protection Commission (for the incinerator operator certification rule.
- Stakeholders: GHG-emitting producers in Iowa, EPA, state policymakers, and the public seeking air quality data.
- Implications for data: The state would generally defer to EPA inventories for GHG data, potentially reducing state-specific data gathering and state-created registries.

Timeline and procedural notes
- Introduced 1/29/2025; subcommittee meeting 1/30/2025; subcommittee vote 2/3/2025; committee passage and report 3/4–3/7/2025.
- Bill renumbered to HF 847 upon committee approval.

Overall effect
- The bill modernizes and simplifies DNR air-quality duties by synchronizing with EPA timelines, reducing redundant state data collection, and reconfiguring or repealing certain state regulatory requirements. It preserves existing federal obligations and shifts preference toward EPA inventories where feasible.