Pasted below is a press release regarding a meeting of the Iowa Natural
Resources Commission on Thursday, forwarded by Jane Clark

COMMISSIONERS WAIT FOR IOWA DOT STUDY ON IMPACT OF HIGHWAY 100 PROJECT

McGREGOR * The Linn County Conservation board approached the Natural
Resource Commission with a resolution supporting its efforts to have the
highway 100 road construction project moved because it will be located
adjacent to the Rock Island Preserve.

Al Farris, administrator for the DNR's fish and wildlife division, asked the
commission to not approve the resolution until an updated Iowa Department of
Transportation (DOT) supplemental environmental impact statement is
completed next month.  He also said the board has not taken a position on a
road construction project in the past.

Representatives for the Linn County Conservation Board were on hand and said
they are very concerned about the cumulative impact this project will have
on the area. The resolution says in part that the Iowa DOT has failed to
provide adequately for the protection of the threatened Byssus skipper and
two other butterflies on the state's special concern list, and that the DOT
has not performed any type of inventory or survey to determine whether the
preserve contains any other plants or animals entitled to protection under
state or federal law.

The Iowa DOT is scheduled to complete the environmental impact statement
around the third week in July.  The commission did not approve the
resolution.

"We do support a detailed, stringent environmental impact statement with
special consideration that the state preserve is located adjacent to the
proposed project," said Natural Resource Commission Chair Richard Garrels.

The issue will be revisited after the environmental impact statement is at
the Aug. 9 commission meeting at Gull Point State Park on West Okoboji Lake.

In other business, the commission approved 21 special deer hunts totaling
4,075 antlerless licenses and 103 any der licenses for the 2001 * 2002 deer
season.

Area with special hunts include Johnson County, City of Coralville, Dubuque
County, City of Dubuque, Backbone State Park, Black Hawk County, Scott
County, Linn County, City of Marion, Squaw Creek Park, Kent Park, Iowa Army
Ammunition Plant, Elk Rock Park, Polk County, Lake Panorama (members and
guests only), Lake Manawa Park and Smith Wildlife Area, Springbrook State
Park, Lake of Three Fires Park, Lake Darling State Park and Viking State
Park.

Last year, 3,095 licenses were issued and 1,463 deer were taken.

Kevin Baskins
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
(515)  281-8395
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Winterwood <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 6:24 PM
Subject: HWY 100 CEDAR RAPIDS & NATURAL RESOURCE COMMISSION


> THE LINN CO. CONSERVATION BOARD ASKED THE STATE
> PRESERVES BOARD AND THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMISSION TO
> OPPOSE BUILDING THE HIGHWAY 100 BYPASS PAST THE
> ROCKISLAND BOTANICAL STATE PRESERVE.The area is a sand
> prairie that contains 4 rare plants, a state
> threatened Skipper butterfly and 2 buutterflies of
> special concern.
> The state Preserves Board voted to oppose placement of
> the 4-lane adjacent to the preserve. The Natural
> Resource Commission voted to support a strict
> environmental impact statement of the bypass with
> special consideration of the state preserve and will
> revisit the issue at their August 9 meeting At Gull
> Pointafter the revised environmental impact statement
> is available.
> Charlie Winterwood

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