.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
In the past two decades, we have seen floods knock out the Des Moines Water Works and bring business to a halt in Iowa’s largest city, damage a couple of our state university showplaces and devastate downtown Cedar Rapids. It might be time to start learning our lesson.

Unfortunately, an attempt to deal with the issue bogged down in the Legislature. Senate File 2316 would require local governments to comply with minimum flood plain regulations. As summarized by Lynn Laws of the Iowa Environmental Council in an e-mail:

“Modest and common sense provisions … include:

“Development of a model ordinance for the regulation of the 0.2 percent flood plain (also known as the 500-year flood plain) to assist city and county governments. The model ordinance would include suggested language on requirements for the purchase of flood insurance, limits on new development to mitigate future flood damage, and categories of development that should be prohibited.

“Requirement that any new construction of critical facilities in the 500-year flood plain be designed to maintain operation or be capable of being safely shut down in the event of a 500-year flood. These critical facilities include hospitals, jails and emergency operations centers such as fire, police and rescue facilities.”

The bill passed the Senate, 26-22, on Feb. 25. Then, nothing. “This benign bill was completely stopped in the Iowa House after heavy lobbying by interest groups, including the Iowa League of Cities,” Laws wrote.

It’s understandable when local governments resist yet another layer of bureaucracy. It’s understandable that business boosters would worry about costly requirements.

However, every time Iowa suffers a significant disaster, it affects the entire state economy. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pitch in every time a predictable flood occurs.

This bill sounds reasonable. But if it isn’t acceptable, let’s get everybody to the table and fashion a better one.