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On July 17, 2023, Governor Kay Ivey hosted a ceremonial bill signing for Senate Bill 284 establishing a Dam Safety Program for the State of Alabama. The legislation allows dam owners to opt-in to a statewide program, including inspections, the preparation and implementation of emergency action plans for certain dams, and the notification to a local emergency management agency of any new dam construction.
The ASCE Alabama Section has been working with state policymakers for years on the need for the state to implement a dam safety program. Alabama Section Advocacy Captain Joe Meads, P.E. stated, “The Alabama Section of ASCE began working in 2012 with a coalition of other industry partners to pursue legislation for a Safe Dam Law in Alabama. Developing a strong coalition and having the leadership of State Senator Clyde Chambliss, P.E. was instrumental in helping to pass legislation for the 1st step in Dam Safety Legislation. We have more work to do; but we have momentum, and we will build off of our initial success.”
The program allows the state to begin to explore how an inspection program would work on a smaller scale. S.B. 284, along with a previously approved dam safety pilot study, which is currently underway, sets a foundation for Alabama to join the rest of the nation’s state dam safety programs.
