161D.11 SOUTHERN IOWA DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION
AUTHORITY CREATED -- MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES.
1. A southern Iowa development and conservation authority is
created. The counties of Appanoose, Clarke, Davis, Decatur,
Jefferson, Lucas, Monroe, Van Buren, Wapello, and Wayne are entitled
to one voting member each on the authority, but membership or
participation in projects of the authority is not required. Each
member of the authority shall be appointed by the respective board of
supervisors for a term to be determined by each board of supervisors,
but the term shall not be for less than one year. An appointee shall
serve without compensation, but an appointee may be reimbursed for
actual expenses incurred while performing the duties of the authority
as determined by each board of supervisors. The authority shall
meet, organize, and adopt rules of procedures as deemed necessary to
carry out its duties. The authority may appoint working committees
that include other individuals in addition to voting members.
2. The mission of the authority is to develop and coordinate
plans for projects related to the unique natural resources, rural
development, and infrastructure problems of counties in the most
fragile areas of the southern Iowa drift plain. The authority's
mission is established in part as a response to the erosion of soils,
degradation of water resources, and the destabilization of stream
channels in the fragile glacial till soils of southern Iowa that have
occurred in a large part due to unchecked conversion of grassland to
cropland. This land use conversion was brought about by the economic
pressures of past federal agricultural policies that disregarded the
fragile nature of the southern Iowa soil resource and the
incompatibility of these soils with the subsidized commodities. The
resulting erosion of the land has damaged the rural infrastructure of
this area, destroyed public roads and bridges, adversely impacted
stream water quality and riparian habitat, affected other public and
private improvements, and severely threatens the potable water supply
of the region. Reducing soil erosion, preventing sedimentation, and
stopping nutrients and pesticides from entering water resources are
all necessary to protect the rural infrastructure in the southern
area of the state. Important protection measures include structural
improvements and the reestablishment of grasslands for sustainable
economic uses.
3. The authority shall cooperate with the division of soil
conservation of the department of agriculture and land stewardship,
the affected soil and water conservation districts, the department of
natural resources, and the state department of transportation in
carrying out its mission and duties. The authority shall also
cooperate with appropriate federal agencies, including the United
States environmental protection agency, the United States department
of interior, and the United States department of agriculture natural
resources conservation service. The authority shall make use of
technical resources available through member counties and cooperating
agencies.
4. The authority shall administer the southern Iowa development
and conservation fund created under section 161D.12 and shall deposit
and expend moneys in the fund for the planning, development, and
implementation of development and conservation activities or measures
in the member counties.
5. This section is not intended to affect the authority of the
department of natural resources in its acquisition, development, and
management of public lands within the counties represented by the
authority.
161D.11 SOUTHERN IOWA DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION
AUTHORITY CREATED -- MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES.
1. A southern Iowa development and conservation authority is
created. The counties of Appanoose, Clarke, Davis, Decatur,
Jefferson, Lucas, Monroe, Van Buren, Wapello, and Wayne are entitled
to one voting member each on the authority, but membership or
participation in projects of the authority is not required. Each
member of the authority shall be appointed by the respective board of
supervisors for a term to be determined by each board of supervisors,
but the term shall not be for less than one year. An appointee shall
serve without compensation, but an appointee may be reimbursed for
actual expenses incurred while performing the duties of the authority
as determined by each board of supervisors. The authority shall
meet, organize, and adopt rules of procedures as deemed necessary to
carry out its duties. The authority may appoint working committees
that include other individuals in addition to voting members.
2. The mission of the authority is to develop and coordinate
plans for projects related to the unique natural resources, rural
development, and infrastructure problems of counties in the most
fragile areas of the southern Iowa drift plain. The authority's
mission is established in part as a response to the erosion of soils,
degradation of water resources, and the destabilization of stream
channels in the fragile glacial till soils of southern Iowa that have
occurred in a large part due to unchecked conversion of grassland to
cropland. This land use conversion was brought about by the economic
pressures of past federal agricultural policies that disregarded the
fragile nature of the southern Iowa soil resource and the
incompatibility of these soils with the subsidized commodities. The
resulting erosion of the land has damaged the rural infrastructure of
this area, destroyed public roads and bridges, adversely impacted
stream water quality and riparian habitat, affected other public and
private improvements, and severely threatens the potable water supply
of the region. Reducing soil erosion, preventing sedimentation, and
stopping nutrients and pesticides from entering water resources are
all necessary to protect the rural infrastructure in the southern
area of the state. Important protection measures include structural
improvements and the reestablishment of grasslands for sustainable
economic uses.
3. The authority shall cooperate with the division of soil
conservation of the department of agriculture and land stewardship,
the affected soil and water conservation districts, the department of
natural resources, and the state department of transportation in
carrying out its mission and duties. The authority shall also
cooperate with appropriate federal agencies, including the United
States environmental protection agency, the United States department
of interior, and the United States department of agriculture natural
resources conservation service. The authority shall make use of
technical resources available through member counties and cooperating
agencies.
4. The authority shall administer the southern Iowa development
and conservation fund created under section 161D.12 and shall deposit
and expend moneys in the fund for the planning, development, and
implementation of development and conservation activities or measures
in the member counties.
5. This section is not intended to affect the authority of the
department of natural resources in its acquisition, development, and
management of public lands within the counties represented by the
authority.
161D.11 SOUTHERN IOWA DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION
AUTHORITY CREATED -- MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES.
1. A southern Iowa development and conservation authority is
created. The counties of Appanoose, Clarke, Davis, Decatur,
Jefferson, Lucas, Monroe, Van Buren, Wapello, and Wayne are entitled
to one voting member each on the authority, but membership or
participation in projects of the authority is not required. Each
member of the authority shall be appointed by the respective board of
supervisors for a term to be determined by each board of supervisors,
but the term shall not be for less than one year. An appointee shall
serve without compensation, but an appointee may be reimbursed for
actual expenses incurred while performing the duties of the authority
as determined by each board of supervisors. The authority shall
meet, organize, and adopt rules of procedures as deemed necessary to
carry out its duties. The authority may appoint working committees
that include other individuals in addition to voting members.
2. The mission of the authority is to develop and coordinate
plans for projects related to the unique natural resources, rural
development, and infrastructure problems of counties in the most
fragile areas of the southern Iowa drift plain. The authority's
mission is established in part as a response to the erosion of soils,
degradation of water resources, and the destabilization of stream
channels in the fragile glacial till soils of southern Iowa that have
occurred in a large part due to unchecked conversion of grassland to
cropland. This land use conversion was brought about by the economic
pressures of past federal agricultural policies that disregarded the
fragile nature of the southern Iowa soil resource and the
incompatibility of these soils with the subsidized commodities. The
resulting erosion of the land has damaged the rural infrastructure of
this area, destroyed public roads and bridges, adversely impacted
stream water quality and riparian habitat, affected other public and
private improvements, and severely threatens the potable water supply
of the region. Reducing soil erosion, preventing sedimentation, and
stopping nutrients and pesticides from entering water resources are
all necessary to protect the rural infrastructure in the southern
area of the state. Important protection measures include structural
improvements and the reestablishment of grasslands for sustainable
economic uses.
3. The authority shall cooperate with the division of soil
conservation of the department of agriculture and land stewardship,
the affected soil and water conservation districts, the department of
natural resources, and the state department of transportation in
carrying out its mission and duties. The authority shall also
cooperate with appropriate federal agencies, including the United
States environmental protection agency, the United States department
of interior, and the United States department of agriculture natural
resources conservation service. The authority shall make use of
technical resources available through member counties and cooperating
agencies.
4. The authority shall administer the southern Iowa development
and conservation fund created under section 161D.12 and shall deposit
and expend moneys in the fund for the planning, development, and
implementation of development and conservation activities or measures
in the member counties.
5. This section is not intended to affect the authority of the
department of natural resources in its acquisition, development, and
management of public lands within the counties represented by the
authority.
