466A.3 - WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT REVIEW BOARD.

        466A.3  WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT REVIEW BOARD.         1.  A watershed improvement review board is established.         a.  The board shall consist of all of the following voting      members, appointed by the named entity or entities and approved by      the governor:         (1)  One member of the agribusiness association of Iowa.         (2)  One member of the Iowa association of water agencies.         (3)  One member of the Iowa environmental council.         (4)  One member of the Iowa farm bureau federation.         (5)  One member of the Iowa pork producers association.         (6)  One member of the Iowa rural water association.         (7)  One member of the Iowa soybean association.         (8)  One member representing soil and water conservation districts      of Iowa.         (9)  One member of the Iowa association of county conservation      boards.         (10)  One person representing the department of agriculture and      land stewardship.         (11)  One person representing the department of natural resources.         b.  The board shall also include four members of the general      assembly who shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members.  Not more      than one member from each house shall be from the same political      party.  Two state senators shall be appointed, one by the majority      leader of the senate and one by the minority leader of the senate.      Two state representatives shall be appointed, one by the speaker of      the house of representatives and one by the minority leader of the      house of representatives.  The legislator members shall serve terms      as provided in section 69.16B.  A legislator member may designate      another person to attend a board meeting if the member is      unavailable.  Only the legislator member is eligible for per diem and      expenses as provided in section 2.10.         2.  A voting member other than a representative of a state agency      shall be compensated as provided in section 7E.6 and is allowed      actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their      duties.  The moneys used to pay for compensation and expenses shall      be paid from available interest or earnings on moneys in the fund.         3. a.  The voting members of the board shall serve three-year      staggered terms commencing and ending as provided in section 69.19.      If a vacancy occurs, a successor shall be appointed in the same      manner and subject to the same qualifications as the original      appointment, to serve the remainder of the term.         b.  The voting members of the board shall elect a chairperson      and vice chairperson annually from the voting membership of the      board.  A majority of the voting members of the board constitutes a      quorum.  If the chairperson and vice chairperson are unable to      preside over the board due to absence or disability, a majority of      the voting members present may elect a temporary chairperson by a      majority vote providing a quorum is present.         4.  The watershed improvement review board shall do all of the      following:         a.  Award local watershed improvement grants and monitor the      progress of local watershed improvement projects awarded grants.  A      local watershed improvement grant may be awarded for an original      period not to exceed five years.  However, during those five years,      the board may extend the period of the award for up to five      additional years after the date that the original period would have      ended.  Each local watershed improvement grant awarded shall not      exceed ten percent of the moneys appropriated for the grants during a      fiscal year.         b.  Assist with the development of monitoring plans for local      watershed improvement projects.         c.  Review monitoring results before, during, and after      completion of a local watershed improvement project.         d.  Review costs and benefits of mitigation practices utilized      by a project.         e.  By January 31, annually, submit an electronic report to      the governor and the general assembly regarding the progress of the      watershed improvement projects during the previous calendar year.         f.  Elicit the expertise of other organizations for technical      assistance in the work of the board.         g.  Independently develop and adopt administrative rules      pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this chapter.         5.  A watershed improvement review board member who also serves on      a local watershed improvement committee shall abstain from voting on      a local watershed improvement grant application submitted by the same      local watershed improvement committee of which the person is a      member.  A member of the general assembly shall abstain from      participating on any issue relating to a watershed which is in the      member's legislative district.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         2005 Acts, ch 159, §5; 2006 Acts, ch 1010, §121; 2006 Acts, ch      1185, §86; 2008 Acts, ch 1156, §48, 58; 2008 Acts, ch 1189, §33; 2009      Acts, ch 44, §1         Referred to in § 466A.1