CALL TO ACTION

C

cyclonenation10

Active member
Iowa Outdoor Recreation & Public Lands Targeted

in House File 2104 & Senate Study Bill 3129 ​



Outdoor recreation, public land, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are under attack in Iowa's current legislative session. House File 2104 and companion bill Senate Study Bill 3129 both aim to limit opportunities to permanently protect properties with significant ecological and recreational value in the state of Iowa.



TAKE ACTION NOW and voice your opposition to

Iowa House File 2104 and Senate Study Bill 3129! ​



PF & QF Supporter Action Requested:



ACTION ONE: Attend the House Natural Resources subcommittee meeting tomorrow, Thursday, February 1, within the Supreme Court Consult (Room 102) of the Iowa State Capitol. The meeting will begin at approximately 1:30pm.



ACTION TWO: Please email (preferred) or call members of the House Natural Resources Committee (click here for their contact information) as well as members of the Senate Natural Resources & Environment Committee (click here for their contact information) and politely urge them to OPPOSE House File 2104 and Senate Study Bill 3129 for the reasons listed below:



  1. Both bills prohibit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from acquiring property in a “public auction or private auction, including but not limited to…”


  • This vague language could potentially apply to any property being sold in Iowa on the open market. This would have massive implications in the ability to strategically protect properties with significant ecological and recreational value in Iowa.


  1. Additionally, these bills also prohibit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from acquiring land “by donation or purchase from a nonprofit corporation that acquired the real property in a competitive manner, including but not limited to an auction.”


  • This would prohibit conservation organizations from assisting the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in permanently protecting and increasing access to outdoor recreation to all Iowans across the state.


These bills will restrict future investments in public lands that are critically important

to Iowa’s natural resources, water quality, economic health, and the overall quality of life for all Iowans. Please voice your opposition today!



For questions related to House File 2104 and Senate Study Bill 3129, please contact

Josh Divan, Pheasants Forever’s State Coordinator, at (515) 708-2371 or JDivan@PheasantsForever.Org.​



Thank you for advocating for Iowa’s wildlife, public lands, and outdoor recreation opportunities!
 
Cy, I just grabbed this from a PF email...

UPDATE: Iowa House File 2104 stopped in subcommittee

Thank you for your efforts in opposing anti-public lands legislation!



Emails, phone calls, and attendance at the Capitol late this week by Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) members in Iowa played a pivotal role in the House Natural Resource Subcommittee not moving HF2104 forward.



While defeating House File 2104 in subcommittee was a victory, there is still a chance it could be assigned to a different committee. We’ll continue to track any developments and share any future advocacy needs with our much-appreciated volunteers.



For questions related to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s advocacy efforts in Iowa, please contact Josh Divan, PF & QF State Coordinator, at (515) 708-2371 or JDivan@PheasantsForever.Org.



Thanks again for advocating for Iowa’s wildlife, public lands,

and outdoor recreation opportunities!
 
Remy, The Supreme court made a ruling not too long ago about Eminent Domain. It said that if the government deems property to be in their best interest they can use Eminent Domain. Not for roads, etc necessarily just what is best for them? Terrible ruling. So if certain people in the government think that it is in their best interest they will take the land under the provision. Of course they will give you "fair market value" Can you imagine how this will affect private property in the coming years...... Talk about OVERREACH.....
 
Eminent Domain, doesn't bother me too much, but then they were trying to use it for private businesses like the carbon capture pipelines, that was BS. It was designed for projects that benefit the public/everyone not a small group in private business. Sounds like that last ruling needs to be overturned....was that the US Supreme Court or Iowa?
 
Supreme Court. Yes special interests can use that for their personal interests. Can u imagine how corrupt that could eventually be?
 
I don't want to imagine that. What an opportunity invite corruption into the system legally!
 
Seems like lots of public ground hunters, I am not one of them, should care, but it seems few here have too much concern about this. Maybe it is just a lack of Iowa hunters on this forum. I am thinking the same as bd, I might have to try to call someone to have them explain the benefits to this. It seems next to impossible to for Non-profits (PF/DU) to acquire ground through gift or purchase, but even more difficult to compete in an auction for such....and now we need a law to prevent such??? Help me understand this please.
 
I fired off another email this morning. Others from Iowa might consider do such. Just use the link Munster927 posted (#8 post above) and there is a link in the PF article, click that and find who your guy (by county) is, "copy email" and paste into your email and send a message about this to your representative, let them know you care.
 
eharlow49 said:
I just emailed my guy. In case anyone’s curious on who lobbied for and against this bill, here’s the link to the lobbyist declarations: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/lobbyist/reports/declarations?ga=90&ba=SF2324
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Thanks for this. Interesting to see the breakdown. I'm pretty disappointed to see Ducks Unlimited be listed as "Undecided". Should be an easy "Against" for a group like DU.

I'm not an Iowa resident, but I plan to send emails to every group who is listed as "For" this and an email to DU stating my displeasure that they didn't stand as "Against".
 
I've always assumed that it's tough to make new WMA's for public hunting because with land being so expensive there's usually a private buyer with deep pockets who can pay more than the government. I figured it's gotta be a motivated seller who approaches the DNR and wants to sell their land to the government so that in the future it'll be open to all. Just a guess.
 
I think most land acquisitions that aren't gifts, are usually a joint effort between the likes of PF, DU, the local county Nature Conservatories and more nonprofit groups and maybe some state agencies, they do habitat work and then turn the land over to the DNR or similar state/county group. Even a quarter section at a subsidized price of $3,000 is almost $500,000...a tough pill for any group on their own.
It is banquet season for the local DU, PF and other organizations, so get out, attend and spend some money at these, that is how they can fund programs and projects.
 
remy3424 said:
I think most land acquisitions that aren't gifts, are usually a joint effort between the likes of PF, DU, the local county Nature Conservatories and more nonprofit groups and maybe some state agencies, they do habitat work and then turn the land over to the DNR or similar state/county group. Even a quarter section at a subsidized price of $3,000 is almost $500,000...a tough pill for any group on their own.
It is banquet season for the local DU, PF and other organizations, so get out, attend and spend some money at these, that is how they can fund programs and projects.
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Which is why this legislation is ridiculous. PF knows I'm sure that primo farm land, they'll get outbid at auction by big farm conglomerates every single time. But that marginal land that's wet and useless for farmers but is prime winter habitat for pheasants is perfect for PF to bid on at auctions. They can get more for their dollar and it's likely good hunting grounds.

So if this bill passes who is going to purchase it? Even marginal land is expensive from us hunters perspective, id suspect a large chunk of land would be purchased by Whitetail Properties, Realtree Realty and the like. Then be sold again.

Even slough land is expensive in farm country. There's a piece of nice cattails across the road from a WMA I regularly hunt here in MN. And I always see pheasants flying in at evening to spend the night. The 350 acre farm it's on was up for sale last fall, and I thought maybe I can get a good deal on the 5 acres or less of slough and how sweet it would be to have a little honey hole spot where I hunt. So I called the realtor and asked about selling just the small slough. He said they'd sell just that for 5K an acre. Give me a break. I'm not buying no cattails for 25 grand haha
 
My Rep emailed back saying he completely agreed with me and would do what he could to defeat it. Nice to get a response and one that shared my view.

Now off to Pheasant Fest in Sioux Falls!
 
Munster927 said:
Looks like the Iowa state Senate passed it after all

ACT NOW: Oppose IA Anti-Outdoor Recreation & Public Lands Bill SF 2324!

Outdoor recreation, public land, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are under attack in Iowa's legislative session
www.pheasantsforever.org www.pheasantsforever.org
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They are still at it. Iowans, shoot of an email to your county House Rep. Use the link in post #8...I can't seem to repost an active link.

I just shoot off another email, sounds like Plymouth county Rep is against this. This is the message I just sent:

I trust our elected can defeat any of these measures that are trying to needlessly limit the ability to potential gain more acres to public access. Iowa as a state has very limited public access to public ground. It seems to be a VERY limited agenda to someone there that is pushing something like this.
 
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