As many of you know, I work for Iowa's Water & Land Legacy Coalition in addition to my lucrative high paying career as a blogger under the tutelage of desmoinesdem.

Details are below, but we will be holding a public rally at the Iowa State Capitol on the morning of February 9th, 2011 to publicize Iowans support for fully funding the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund that was created through a vote of 63% of Iowans on November 2nd.

In addition to supporting the funding of the Trust Fund, we are also pushing back against efforts to ban public land acquisition by the Iowa DNR and cuts in REAP (Resource Enhancement & Protection).  These are important programs with water quality, soil conservation, and wildlife habitat benefits.  

You can visit www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org to learn more, but information about the rally is below. 

Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy – RALLY DAY

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

9-11AM

PRE-RALLY: Wallace Bldg Auditorium-E 9th & Grand Av, Des Moines

RALLY:  Iowa State Capitol Building: E 9th St & Grand Av, Des Moines

Parking:  Free parking ramp at Penn and Grand, meters on the street, or link to other paid downtown parking ramps:

http://www.downtowndesmoines.c… – The D-Line trolley can bring you to both buildings for free:  

http://www.seedesmoines.com/up…

RSVP: rlehman@iowarivers.org

Web page:  http://www.iowaswaterandlandle…

WEAR any color solid blue – we want to present water as we FLOW into the Iowa State Capitol

YES 63

Join Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy on February 9th as we ascend upon the State Capitol to remind our legislators that Iowans overwhelmingly support increased and sustainable funding for water quality, soil conservation, and our outdoor natural areas.  Help exhibit this energy.  We will provide a brief presentation, including messaging about our visit, comments from supportive legislators, and RALLY DAY stickers and materials.  

It’s time for our elected officials to listen to Iowans and FUND THE TRUST FUND.  Help us FLOOD the Capitol Rotunda in blue-volunteers are asked to wear any solid blue shirt and to be a part of statewide presence-children are encouraged to participate.

Rally Day Objectives:

   * Improving Water Quality For Future

Generations

   * Investing In Our Agricultural Economy By Reducing Soil Erosion

   * Protecting Fish & Wildlife Habitat And Public Access To Hunting Areas

   * Creating Jobs And Economic Opportunity In Both Rural & Urban Iowa

63% of Iowa voters affirmed the NEED for the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, which provides a permanent and constitutionally protected funding mechanism for conserving and enhancing water quality, reducing flooding, protecting agricultural soils, fish and wildlife habitat and natural areas while also providing for our parks, trails, outdoor recreation and educational needs.

Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy continues to work towards fulfilling the will of Iowa voters by advocating for the following three objectives:

Preserve  Work to provide a dedicated sustainable funding sources for conservation without growing the size of government, by preserving existing funding levels for voluntary conservation programs and to continue to invest in important programs such as the Environment First Fund, REAP, and others that invest in Iowa’s natural resources without raising taxes.

Protect  Safeguard the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund allocation formula as spelled out during the 2010 legislative session through bipartisan consensus.

Provide  Identify and advocate for a sustainable source of Trust Fund revenue and supplement existing conservation funding in lieu of a 3/8th percent state sales tax increase.

Funding for voluntary conservation incentives and critical natural resource and outdoor recreation infrastructure can help create jobs, grow our economy, and protect our quality of life in Iowa – without creating new built in spending obligations.

Funding the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation

Trust Fund demonstrates a commitment to improving Iowa’s water quality and conserving our agricultural soils.

Iowa’s Water & Land Legacy is an Iowa based non-profit operating as a project of The Conservation Campaign as a 501c(4) non-profit.  www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org