UPDATED What we’re following: SSB 3134

Two bills that passed through subcommittee last week are direct threats to Iowa’s future.

Senate File 2312 was formerly SSB 3134 which would limit Iowa Department of Natural Resources and county conservation boards from paying fair market value to acquire new conservation land.

The other bill, SF 2321, would ban landowners from placing solar panel fields on land if the corn suitability rating is higher than 65.

Over 65 percent of Iowa land is currently used to grow corn and soybeans; we don’t need to protect farmland from conservation practices and solar energy.

Contact your senators and Republican majority leadership and tell them that SF2312 and SF2321 are bad for Iowa. We’ve been told that emails are good, but phone calls are better.

Bur Oak in the news: 

Bill to restrict public land buys would be worse in urban counties, senator said – The Gazette

Public land acquisition limits pass Iowa Senate committee – The Gazette

A bill that would be disastrous to the future of conservation in Iowa passed rapidly through the Iowa Senate Natural Resources and Environment Subcommittee yesterday and is advancing to the full committee soon. Senate Study Bill 3134 severely restricts the Iowa DNR and county conservation boards from acquiring land by placing a cap on the amount these groups can spend,

which would mean less land and natural resources protected and restored in the future. The cap also punishes Iowa landowners who want to sell their land for public use. This is the wrong direction for our state if we want any chance of improving our polluted waterways and supporting local wildlife. Contact the committee members and tell them you do not support SSB 3134.