ACTION ALERT from the Iowa Environmental Council:
BUDGET CUTS COULD CLOSE THE LEOPOLD CENTER

The Governor will convene a special session of the Legislature next Tuesday, 
May 28 to deal with the state's deepening budget crises.  More cuts need to 
be made to the coming fiscal year (FY03) budget in light of reduced revenue 
projections.

In the proposed Republican budget-released yesterday-environmental funding 
takes a disproportionately large cut.

Environmental programs currently get only 1.2% of general fund and 
infrastructure appropriations, but 9% of the proposed cuts comes on the back 
of environmental programs.  Iowa already is last in the nation in per capita 
spending on the environment, and the proposed cuts put us even farther 
behind.  If the cuts take effect, Iowa will spend only 0.7% of the state 
budget on environmental protection.

The tragedy of these cuts and anemic funding is that these environmental 
programs are proactive, preventative solutions to problems.  Iowa's 
environmental initiatives are some of the most cost-effective public 
expenditures, when we consider the cost of clean up or restoration after 
damage has already occurred.   They're in line with a core Iowa value-"An 
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."   Today's costs for these 
programs are minuscule compared to the benefits Iowa receives for the 
tomorrows to come.

You need to contact Legislators and the Governor before Tuesday and tell them 
to protect Iowa's environmental spending in the Environment First Fund, and 
particularly the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

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ENVIRONMENT FIRST FUND

The Council is shocked at the proposed cuts to the Environment First Fund.  
This fund was created just two years ago and was hailed as a great step 
forward in Iowa's commitment to the environment.  The proposed budget cuts 
this fund by 53%-to less than $12.4 million out.

The Environment First Fund includes appropriations for the following 
programs, among others:

Farm Demonstration Program
REAP
Ag Drainage Well closure
Soil Conservation Cost Sharing
Brownfield Redevelopment
Geographic Information System Development
Wetland Incentive Program
Watershed Protection Plan
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
Water Quality Monitoring
Volunteer Water Monitoring (IOWATER)
Water Quality Protection
Air Quality Monitoring Program
Lake Dredging
 
While not all of these programs suffer cuts, several programs are completely 
eliminated in the Republican's budget-such as Brownfield Redevelopment and 
Farm Demonstration.  Others are severely cut.  REAP suffers an 80% cut, from 
$10 million to $2 million-ending many local community improvement projects.


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LEOPOLD CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
 
Of particular concern to the Council is the drastic cut to the Leopold Center 
for Sustainable Agriculture.  On the table is a cut of $1 million, reducing 
the Center's budget by 86%.  The budget cut from $1.16 million last year to 
less than $200,000 effectively ends this nationally recognized, innovative 
program supporting sustainable agricultural development.

Losing the Leopold Center would be a catastrophe.  The Center serves as an 
incubator for sustainable agricultural practices that will pay significant 
dividends down the road-in cleaner water, less soil erosion, and greater 
agricultural vitality.  These budget cuts to the Leopold Center today 
sacrifice significant economic and environmental benefits tomorrow.

The Leopold Center has helped advance such promising innovations as:

… The buffer strip/watershed reconstruction project at Bear Creek-which has 
been designated as a National Demonstration Watershed.  Expanding use of the 
practices learned in Bear Creek drastically reduces soil erosion, improves 
water quality, and expands wildlife habitat.
… Hoop house hog confinement systems-which are environmentally and animal 
friendly.
… Early support for Iowa's grape and wine industry-which has the potential to 
impact agricultural diversity, value added production, and tourism.
… Sole support of long-term research by ISU's only organic crop 
specialist-which provides a key component in Iowa's growing organic 
production sector (from 13,000 acres in 1995 to 150,000 in 1999).
… Facilitation of local food systems-which paved the way for creation of 
Iowa's Local Food Task Force and the Governor's Food Policy Council.  This 
trend promises to reunite rural producers and urban consumers in a vibrant 
food production and distribution model.

The proposed Republican budget cuts to the Leopold Center for Sustainable 
Agriculture are shortsighted.  Such a loss would have detrimental long-term 
impacts on the viability of Iowa's agricultural economic base.  The cuts 
sacrifice one of the most innovation and beneficial long-term investment we 
can make with public money.

If farmers are to meet the challenge of better environmental stewardship, we 
must not stop developing new methods and better tools for them to use.  And 
if we truly seek means to help keep family farms viable and prosperous, we 
cannot allow these cuts to the Leopold Center-one of the most innovative 
resources supporting family farmers.


PLEASE CONTACT THE GOVERNOR AND YOUR LEGISLATOR THIS WEEK AND OVER THE 
HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PRESERVE THE LEOPOLD CENTER, TO NOT 
THROW AWAY WHAT WE'VE WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Please contact the following:

1. Your own state representative.  Home and office contact information can be 
found at the Iowa General Assembly website at <http://www.legis.state.is.us>. 
 Or call the House switchboard at 515.281.3221.

2. Your own state senator. Home and office contact information can be found 
at the Iowa General Assembly website at <http://www.legis.state.is.us>.  Or 
call the Senate switchboard at 515.281.3371.

[Legislator email addresses are <[log in to unmask]>.

3. The Governor's office.  You can call the governor's office at 515.281.5211 
or send an email to the Governor's executive secretary < 
[log in to unmask]>.

4. Stewart Iverson, Senate Majority Leader.  Home: 515.852.3350.  Office: 
515.281.3560.  Email: <[log in to unmask]>.

5. Christopher Rants, House Majority Leader.  Home: 712.274.8874.  Office: 
515.281.3221.  Email: <[log in to unmask]>.

6. Forward this e-mail to your networks.  It is vital that legislators hear 
from as many Iowans as possible. Your e-mail network is an important tool to 
help protect Iowa's environment.  Please use it.


Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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