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Contact your legislator and ask them to restore cuts to REAP and fund the program at $16M/year. Include an example of your favorite REAP project in your message and let him or her know that investing in REAP is an investment in healthy land and water and vibrant local economies.
Iowa’s Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP) has created cultural and recreational treasures for Iowans to enjoy in addition to funding critical conservation programs.
The House Ag and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee unveiled a budget proposal that cuts REAP from last year’s extremely low level of $12 million, to only $10 million. The budget diverts the $2 million cut to fund our treasured state parks and allows the DNR to divert another $1 million to state parks maintenance. And even with this shift, state park funding remains flat. This is a double hit – continuing to under fund our state parks while also cutting this critical program.
The cut to REAP is a $400,000 cut to the Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship, a $400,000 cut to County Conservation, and a $300,000 cut to city parks and open spaces.
REAP funding is critical to allow county conservation and local recreational opportunities that provide access to the outdoors for people all over Iowa, not just those who are lucky enough to live near a state park.
REAP dollars enhance local economies and help with workforce attraction and retention.
REAP grants help communities make investments in their own cultural and natural capital, to be healthy and happy places for Iowans to live.
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