161D.1 Loess hills development and conservation authority created--membership and duties.

1. A loess hills development and conservation authority is created. The counties of Lyon, Sioux, Plymouth, Cherokee, Woodbury, Ida, Sac, Monona, Crawford, Carroll, Harrison, Shelby, Audubon, Pottawattamie, Cass, Adair, Mills, Montgomery, Adams, Fremont, Page, and Taylor are entitled to one voting member each on the authority, but membership or participation in projects of the authority is not required. Each member of the authority shall be appointed by the respective board of supervisors for a term to be determined by each board of supervisors, but the term shall not be for less than one year. An appointee shall serve without compensation, but an appointee may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred while performing the duties of the authority as determined by each board of supervisors. The authority shall meet, organize, and adopt rules of procedures as deemed necessary to carry out its duties. The authority may appoint working committees that include other individuals in addition to voting members.

2. The mission of the authority is to develop and coordinate plans for projects related to the unique natural resource, rural development, and infrastructure problems of counties in the deep loess region of western Iowa. The erosion and degradation of stream channels in the deep loess soils has occurred due to historic channelization of the Missouri river and straightening stream channels of its tributaries. This erosion of land has damaged the rural infrastructure of this area, destroyed public roads and bridges, adversely impacted stream water quality and riparian habitat, and affected other public and private improvements. Stabilization of stream channels is necessary to protect the rural infrastructure in the deep loess soils area of the state. The authority shall cooperate with the division of soil conservation of the department of agriculture and land stewardship, the affected soil and water conservation districts, the department of natural resources, and the state department of transportation in carrying out its mission and duties. The authority shall also cooperate with appropriate federal agencies, including the United States environmental protection agency, the United States department of interior, and the United States department of agriculture natural resources conservation service. The authority shall make use of technical resources available through member counties and cooperating agencies.

3. The authority shall administer the loess hills development and conservation fund created under section 161D.2 and shall deposit and expend moneys in the fund for the planning, development, and implementation of development and conservation activities or measures in the member counties.

4. This chapter* is not intended to affect the authority of the department of natural resources in its acquisition, development, and management of public lands within the counties represented by the authority.

161D.12 Southern Iowa development and conservation fund.

A southern Iowa development and conservation fund is created in the state treasury, to be administered by the southern Iowa development and conservation authority. The proceeds of the fund shall be used for the purposes specified in section 161D.11. The southern Iowa development and conservation authority may accept gifts, bequests, other moneys including, but not limited to, state or federal moneys, and in-kind contributions for deposit in the fund. The gifts, grants, bequests from public and private sources, state and federal moneys, and other moneys received by the authority shall be deposited in the fund and any interest earned on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund to be used for the purposes specified in section 161D.11. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any unexpended or unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state, but the moneys shall remain available for expenditure by the authority in succeeding fiscal years.

161D.2 Loess hills development and conservation fund.

A loess hills development and conservation fund is created in the state treasury. The fund shall include a hungry canyons account and a loess hills alliance account which shall be administered by the loess hills development and conservation authority. The proceeds of the respective accounts shall be used for the purposes specified in section 161D.1 or 161D.6 as applicable. The loess hills development and conservation authority may accept gifts, bequests, other moneys including, but not limited to, state or federal moneys, and in-kind contributions for deposit in the fund. The gifts, grants, bequests from public and private sources, state and federal moneys, and other moneys received by the authority shall be deposited in the respective accounts and any interest earned shall be credited to the respective accounts to be used for the purposes specified in section 161D.1 or 161D.6 as applicable. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any unexpended or unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state, but the moneys shall remain available for expenditure by the authority in succeeding fiscal years.