(Des Moines)– Boaters will have to pay a little more to enjoy Iowa’s rivers and lakes.
Governor Vilsack has signed into law a bill that increases boat registration fees. The higher fees are expected to raise about a million dollars. The revenue will be used to increase law enforcement on waterways and invasive species programs.
Registration for boats 16-feet to 26-feet long go to 12-dollars a year. Current fees range from six-dollars to nine-dollars.
Fees for longer boats will range from 25-dollars to 50-dollars a year.
The bill was championed by lakes area environmental groups. It was authored in the House by Representative Mike May of Spirit Lake. It was sponsored in the Senate by Senator David Johnson of Ocheyedan.
(With help from the Associated Press.).
