Cuts threaten Iowa DNR's ability to 'carry out its mission,' commission tells lawmakers

A commission that oversees the Iowa Department of Natural Resources warned state lawmakers that continued cuts to the agency's budget could hurt its ability to protect Iowa's air, water, parks and trails.

"Future reductions in general fund allocations may compromise the DNR’s ability to effectively carry out its mission," the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission wrote in its annual report to the Iowa Legislature.

State funding for the agency has been cut in half from $22 million in 2009 to $11.17 million this budget year.

A budget proposal for next year calls for DNR funding to remain unchanged. But the commission is asking lawmakers to pass a supplemental salary bill to cover rising employee costs.

"I think we're getting close to critical levels, given the significant loss of employees we've seen over the past eight to 10 years," said Chad Ingels, the commission chairman.

The agency's budget has shrunk 13 percent over the past two years as state lawmakers have slashed spending to match lower-than-expected revenue.

State general fund dollars make up about 11 percent of the agency's total budget.

"We're getting spread thin enough that it's getting increasingly difficult to do everything that we currently do," said Chuck Gipp, the Iowa DNR director, who met the Iowa Environmental Protection and Natural Resources commissions that oversee the agency Wednesday.

State Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Oskaloosa, said Friday he's "deeply concerned" about DNR cuts.

He said some agencies like DNR and the Iowa Department of Agriculture saw budget cuts last year while other agencies received increases.

"We obviously have budget problems in the state ... but there are limits to how much we can cut," he said.

"We have to make sure we're not cutting into the muscle and the bone," said Rozenboom, chairman of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee.

Iowa lawmakers face cutting about $19 million from this fiscal year's budget. That's on top of about $260 million already cut from last year's fiscal budget.

To cope with recent budget cuts, DNR has closed its forestry bureau, cut a dozen full-time positions and kept about 70 current job openings vacant.

That's in addition to 40 jobs cut over the past five years, Gipp said.

"It creates gaps when we're trying to serve Iowans," said Ingels, who lives near Randalia in northeast Iowa.

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DNR's broad duties include permitting and overseeing livestock operations, enforcing state and federal air and water regulations, overseeing hunting and fishing and managing parks, forests and trails.

Jennifer Terry, executive director of the Iowa Environmental Council, said the department's budget is getting cut at a time when the need for oversight is increasing, especially when it comes to livestock operations' impact on the water quality.

Terry points to the state discovery it had about 5,000 more animal feeding operations than it initially believed through satellite imagery.

"If the DNR was fully staffed and doing the regulatory work it should be doing to protect Iowans, that wouldn't have happened," said Terry, adding that the council is lobbying lawmakers for more money for the DNR.

The agency already oversees about 9,500 animal feeding facilities, housing tens of millions of pigs, chickens and cattle. Iowa leads the nation in pork and egg production.

"We don't know what's going on out there. ... That's alarming," said Terry, adding that her group wants the state to stop allowing confinements to be built until DNR can conduct on-site inspections annually of all existing operations.

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The Natural Resources Commission has asked that the state provide $20 million in funding through the Resource Enhancement And Protection program, funding provided primarily through gaming receipts. Last year, the agency received $12 million through REAP.

The agency also wants to raise hunting and fishing license fees and have the flexibility to set different rates among the state's park cabins, shelters and other public amenities.

"We need to look at fees especially — whether it's cabin fees, license fees or permit fees," Ingels said. "If the public expects certain coverage, DNR needs to be funded well enough to fulfill that mission."

In some areas, the financial cuts are beginning to show. The state has:

► One law enforcement official for every 9,011 people who hunt, fish or boat in the state.

► One employee each for 29 of Iowa's 78 state parks, forests and off-road vehicle areas. Another 30 parks have less than one employee, meaning employees manage more than one state park.

► One staff member for every 52,416 park visitors. Last year, 15.8 million people visited Iowa parks and 351,256 stayed overnight.

With a hiring freeze, the agency may be unable to replace someone who retires, potentially leaving some parks without superintendents or areas without conservation officers, Gipp said.

Joe Riding, an Environmental Protection Commission member, said lawmakers are beginning to hear from users about the budget cuts.

The agency cut its parks seasonal staff about 40 percent to 150 workers last summer to reduce spending.

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"Those were the people who picked up the garbage, mowed the grass and cleaned restrooms," said Riding of Altoona. "When you have fewer bodies, you have to make choices."

Riding said he doesn't believe the department's situation is critical today, but he's concerned about the next couple of years.

"There could be a concern if budgets continue to stay at status quo. The agency will have fewer actual dollars to spend" with increased costs to provide services, said Riding, a former state lawmaker.