CurtisWalker
Well-Known Member
Bill Smith posted these on Facebook today figured I'd share them here too.
"Seeking Your Help & Support on these Habitat Conservation Issues. On a Follow up on conservation issues / proposals that I had drafted many months ago for the legislative session. Please remember that any proposal that is drafted into a legislative Bill traditionally takes about a minimum 4 years to accomplish. Don't ask me why but I have heard its just process.. However I have waited a long time to get back to the things We sportsmen truly care about and that is Habitat & Access. I drafted a proposal called AMA ( Aquatic Management Area Program. ) Its emphasis is to provide conservation funding revenues to Enhance, Restore, Acquire habitat acres associated with our Rivers, Streams, Creeks, Lakes. Associated with that is a portion of the program that seeks Perpetual Conservation easement agreements that not only permanently protects associated habitats along our waterways but offers Financial incentives to said landowners to improve, enhance said acres and in return for said Financial support those acres would be open to the public for fishing and hunting.
I suggested that a $3 increase be associated with the Fishing Habitat Stamp program and a $3 increase to the Hunting Habitat Stamp program. Both associated fees would be combined and generate roughly a million dollars annually for the AMA program itself. I also strictly applied these revenues as a source for federal Conservation match programs which would generate a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 match ability. In other words we could be looking at a 4 to 5 million a year program that addresses our serious habitat problems along our state's waterways why at the same time increase access and opportunities. These revenues are protected under the Fish & Wildlife Trust Fund. I went even further with said protections in the draft. I explicitly outlined that these revenues should only be utilized to Support Iowa's AMA program or of the like and said revenues should be strictly utilized for Federal Grant match opportunities or of the like. These revenues are supplemental revenues to existing IDNR budget and cannot and shall not be utilized for any other purpose other than outlined. These strict outlines guarantees Iowa's Sportsmens Habitat stamp revenues will be strictly utilized for Habitat Restoration, Enhancement and Protection why at the same time provide Iowa sportsmen to see those dollars maximized to attract more federal conservation dollars to our state's waterways.
The other Legislative Draft I put forward was a proposal to Amend current law in the Public Acres leased for Agricultural purposes. It called for all revenues gained under said agreements be allocated to the Iowa Habitat Stamp Program and that said revenues shall be used in these options. 1 allocated to said facilities to improve or enhance Habitat or help provide tax relief associated with said properties that are burdensome to Iowa's sportsmen and their Habitat Stamp Revenues. These revenues shall not be used for any other purpose than outlined.
I also laid out another source of revenues that could be created to support Iowa's poor water quality issues instead of stealing said revenues from Iowa's Education and the future of our children. I suggested that a Tax be placed on ALL associated Agricultural acres that are Sold. Said revenues gained should be allocated Strictly to Increase Iowa's Crep Initiative why at the same time maximize taxpayers revenues. The CREP program run by the USDA provides a 4 to 1 match ration and implements Conservation practices on the private landscape to help improve upon the conditions of Iowa's Water Quality problems. To date anyone can look at Iowa's present CREP Initiative and compare that int. to our sister states around us and see the Financial differences as well as the total affected acres by the program. It is the ONLY program run by the USDA that has the true potential for Iowa to get a grip on its Water Quality problems. The means in which this is collected is also more appropriate meaning WE DO NOT HAVE TO STEAL from Education to solve Iowa's Agricultural Water Quality problems.
If you support these measures above please do your part as a Sportsmen of Iowa and as a Constituent of Iowa. Send your support letters to representative Chris Hall at Chris.Hall@legis.iowa.gov
Again I wish to thank my fellow Iowa Sportsmen for their Help and Support. I look forward to hearing what the response level has been in the upcoming months.
Sincerely,
William J. Smith
5309 hwy 75n lo 44
Sioux City Iowa 51108
712-274-3343 Home
712-281-3313 cell
fhd101@aol.com"
"Seeking Your Help & Support on these Habitat Conservation Issues. On a Follow up on conservation issues / proposals that I had drafted many months ago for the legislative session. Please remember that any proposal that is drafted into a legislative Bill traditionally takes about a minimum 4 years to accomplish. Don't ask me why but I have heard its just process.. However I have waited a long time to get back to the things We sportsmen truly care about and that is Habitat & Access. I drafted a proposal called AMA ( Aquatic Management Area Program. ) Its emphasis is to provide conservation funding revenues to Enhance, Restore, Acquire habitat acres associated with our Rivers, Streams, Creeks, Lakes. Associated with that is a portion of the program that seeks Perpetual Conservation easement agreements that not only permanently protects associated habitats along our waterways but offers Financial incentives to said landowners to improve, enhance said acres and in return for said Financial support those acres would be open to the public for fishing and hunting.
I suggested that a $3 increase be associated with the Fishing Habitat Stamp program and a $3 increase to the Hunting Habitat Stamp program. Both associated fees would be combined and generate roughly a million dollars annually for the AMA program itself. I also strictly applied these revenues as a source for federal Conservation match programs which would generate a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 match ability. In other words we could be looking at a 4 to 5 million a year program that addresses our serious habitat problems along our state's waterways why at the same time increase access and opportunities. These revenues are protected under the Fish & Wildlife Trust Fund. I went even further with said protections in the draft. I explicitly outlined that these revenues should only be utilized to Support Iowa's AMA program or of the like and said revenues should be strictly utilized for Federal Grant match opportunities or of the like. These revenues are supplemental revenues to existing IDNR budget and cannot and shall not be utilized for any other purpose other than outlined. These strict outlines guarantees Iowa's Sportsmens Habitat stamp revenues will be strictly utilized for Habitat Restoration, Enhancement and Protection why at the same time provide Iowa sportsmen to see those dollars maximized to attract more federal conservation dollars to our state's waterways.
The other Legislative Draft I put forward was a proposal to Amend current law in the Public Acres leased for Agricultural purposes. It called for all revenues gained under said agreements be allocated to the Iowa Habitat Stamp Program and that said revenues shall be used in these options. 1 allocated to said facilities to improve or enhance Habitat or help provide tax relief associated with said properties that are burdensome to Iowa's sportsmen and their Habitat Stamp Revenues. These revenues shall not be used for any other purpose than outlined.
I also laid out another source of revenues that could be created to support Iowa's poor water quality issues instead of stealing said revenues from Iowa's Education and the future of our children. I suggested that a Tax be placed on ALL associated Agricultural acres that are Sold. Said revenues gained should be allocated Strictly to Increase Iowa's Crep Initiative why at the same time maximize taxpayers revenues. The CREP program run by the USDA provides a 4 to 1 match ration and implements Conservation practices on the private landscape to help improve upon the conditions of Iowa's Water Quality problems. To date anyone can look at Iowa's present CREP Initiative and compare that int. to our sister states around us and see the Financial differences as well as the total affected acres by the program. It is the ONLY program run by the USDA that has the true potential for Iowa to get a grip on its Water Quality problems. The means in which this is collected is also more appropriate meaning WE DO NOT HAVE TO STEAL from Education to solve Iowa's Agricultural Water Quality problems.
If you support these measures above please do your part as a Sportsmen of Iowa and as a Constituent of Iowa. Send your support letters to representative Chris Hall at Chris.Hall@legis.iowa.gov
Again I wish to thank my fellow Iowa Sportsmen for their Help and Support. I look forward to hearing what the response level has been in the upcoming months.
Sincerely,
William J. Smith
5309 hwy 75n lo 44
Sioux City Iowa 51108
712-274-3343 Home
712-281-3313 cell
fhd101@aol.com"
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