HB631 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jeremy OdenAlabama Public Service Commission

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Ed HenryMac Buttram

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Water supply reservoir watershed management authorities, establishment of authorities as public corporations, authorized, counties may form, board, duties, powers, employees of authority authorized to participate in Employees' Retirement System and State Employees' Health Insurance Plan

Summary

HB631 would authorize creation of water supply reservoir watershed management authorities as public corporations to protect, provide for, and sustain reservoir water quality, with a governing board and powers to plan, operate, and fund watershed management.

What This Bill Does

The bill authorizes the formation of watershed management authorities tied to specific reservoirs to protect water quality. It sets up how these authorities are created, governed, and funded, including checks with county commissions and potential joint commissions for multi-county areas. It grants the authority broad powers like acquiring land, issuing permits, constructing and maintaining projects, borrowing money, contracting, and coordinating with state and federal agencies, while requiring adherence to existing environmental regulations and BMPs and providing for annual audits and open meetings. It also allows authority employees to participate in state retirement and health plans, and provides tax exemptions for the authority’s property; the act would take effect immediately after passage with a sunset on new board seats after 2016.

Who It Affects

• Residents within a defined watershed who may petition to form an authority and, if formed, are subject to the watershed management decisions and plans for water quality and land use within the watershed.
• Water suppliers and local governments (counties, county seats, and water systems) that purchase or plan to purchase water from the reservoir, who would appoint board members, potentially fund operations, and influence governance through their participation and voting on the authority.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes creation of water supply reservoir watershed management authorities as public corporations to protect, provide for, and sustain reservoir water quality.
• Defines a water supply reservoir and sets geographic scope limited to a watershed not exceeding 50 square miles, excluding certain federally regulated or licensed areas.
• Establishes petition and formation process via county commissions (joint commissions for multi-county areas), including hearings and boundary determinations.
• Board composition includes three directors from the principal county, three from the county seat, and one director from each water system; additional seats may be added if other entities purchase water, with a 2016 sunset on new positions.
• Requires diverse board membership, staggered four-year terms (minimum two years), quorum rules, and officer elections; allows vacancies and outlines removal procedures.
• Powers include land and permit acquisition, construction and operation of projects, borrowing, contracts, suing and being sued, and cooperation with state and federal agencies; also allows donations and employment of staff.
• Mandates adoption of a watershed management plan, water quality monitoring, funding from various sources, educational outreach, and coordination with other agencies and programs.
• Audits by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts; board members are public officials; employees may participate in the Employees' Retirement System and State Employees' Health Insurance Plan.
• Authority is considered a state authority for competitive bidding; property acquired is tax-exempt; ownership of reservoirs remains with existing water systems unless otherwise contracted.
• Discontinuance provisions allow dissolution with asset transfer to appointing entities by proportional ownership; effective immediately after Governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Authorities