Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Agency Performance Plan FY 2015, February 5, 2015

Performance Plan

Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Performance Plan, FY2015

Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Performance Plan

Iowa Drainage Law Manual, TR-497, 2005

The relationship between Iowa’s roads and drainage developed when rural roads were originally constructed. The land parallel to roadways was excavated to create road embankments. The resulting ditches provided an outlet for shallow tiles to drain nearby fields for farming. Iowa’s climate and terrain are nearly ideal for farming, and more than 90 percent of the land suits the purpose. Much of the land, however, needs to be artificially drained to achieve maximum productivity. Most of this drainage has been accomplished with an extensive network of levees, open ditches, and underground tiles. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that as early as 1920 approximately nine million acres of Iowa farm land had been artificially drained or needed to be. Couple this drainage system with Iowa’s extensive surface transportation system—approximately 100,000 miles of roads and streets, 90,000 on local systems— and potential for conflicts will naturally arise. This is particularly true with urban expansion resulting in residential and commercial development of rural land. This manual contains summaries of and references to the laws most relevant to drainage in Iowa. It also includes frequently asked questions about transportation agencies’ responsibilities related to drainage. Typical policies and agreement forms used by agencies to address drainage issues are illustrated and a glossary of common terms is included.

Biofuel Co-Product Uses for Pavement Geo-Materials Stabilization, TR-582, 2010

The production and use of biofuels has increased in the present context of sustainable development. Biofuel production from plant biomass produces not only biofuel or ethanol but also co-products containing lignin, modified lignin, and lignin derivatives. This research investigated the utilization of lignin-containing biofuel co-products (BCPs) in pavement soil stabilization as a new application area. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the performance and the moisture susceptibility of two types of BCP-treated soil samples compared to the performance of untreated and traditional stabilizer-treated (fly ash) soil samples. The two types of BCPs investigated were (1) a liquid type with higher lignin content (co-product A) and (b) a powder type with lower lignin content (co-product B). Various additive combinations (co-product A and fly ash, co-products A and B, etc.) were also evaluated as alternatives to stand-alone co-products. Test results indicate that BCPs are effective in stabilizing the Iowa Class 10 soil classified as CL or A-6(8) and have excellent resistance to moisture degradation. Strengths and moisture resistance in comparison to traditional additives (fly ash) could be obtained through the use of combined additives (co-product A + fly ash; co-product A + co-product B). Utilizing BCPs as a soil stabilizer appears to be one of the many viable answers to the profitability of the bio-based products and the bioenergy business. Future research is needed to evaluate the freeze-thaw durability and for resilient modulus characterization of BCP-modified layers for a variety of pavement subgrade and base soil types. In addition, the long-term performance of these BCPs should be evaluated under actual field conditions and traffic loadings. Innovative uses of BCP in pavement-related applications could not only provide additional revenue streams to improve the economics of biorefineries, but could also serve to establish green road infrastructures.

Report on the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy for the year ended June 30, 2014

Report on the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy for the year ended June 30, 2014

The Law of Lending Discrimination, June 2010

The purpose of this article is two-fold. First, it provides an overview of the types of lending discrimination, discusses what laws apply to lending discrimination, and explains how to establish a prima facie case and pretext. This discussion will borrow concepts and case law from the areas of employment discrimination and the related issue of rental discrimination. Each of these areas share similar required elements as well as the need to establish pre-text. Second, this article provides an overview of predatory lending practices, applicable law, and potential remedies.

Water Planning Law and Government, November 2008

Water planning efforts typically identify problems and needs. But simply calling attention to issues is usually not enough to spur action; the end result of many well-intentioned planning efforts is a report that ends up gathering dust on a shelf. Vague recommendations like “Water conservation measures should be implemented” usually accomplish little by themselves as they don’t assign responsibility to anyone. Success is more likely when an implementation strategy — who can and should do what — is developed as part of the planning process. The more detailed and specific the implementation strategy, the greater the chance that something will actually be done.