HF542
has begun working its way through the Iowa legislature. The bill would stop Iowa counties, cities,
and the state from acquiring land for parks, recreation areas, and access for
boating. We should be doing more to
protect Iowa’s natural areas and wildlife not less.
Please
contact your state representative and ask that he or she vote NO on HF542!
1. Representative
David Sieck's bill would stop all future purchases of land by the county
conservation departments, city parks, and the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources.
2. It
severely restricts future land donations, by reducing the income tax credit
given to those who generously donate their land and by requiring the donor to
also donate enough funding to support 10 years of maintenance on the property.
3. It
restricts the way the Department of Natural Resources uses the Marine Fuel
Tax. It even forbids the DNR to acquire more access to public boating
waters and forbids acquiring and developing recreation facilities associated
with boating.
4. It even
ties the hands of water pollution control staff in their effort to reduce non-point
source of water pollution by preventing them from acquiring real estate for
those projects.
5. It even
stops developing future museums.
We
should be doing more to protect Iowa’s natural areas and wildlife not
less. This bill moves Iowa in the wrong direction. This bill is
wrong for Iowans and for our visitors. It is wrong for Iowa’s wildlife
and native plants.
Iowans
love their parks and recreation areas. Yet members of the Iowa House of
Representatives are wanting to destroy that. Ask your state
representative to oppose HF542!