DIVISION II
WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT REVIEW BOARD
CHAPTER 101
ORGANIZATION AND PURPOSE
27—101.1(466A) Watershed improvement review board composition. The watershed improvement review board shall be comprised of one member from each of the following entities: the Agribusiness Association of Iowa; the Iowa Association of Water Agencies; the Iowa Environmental Council; the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation; the Iowa Pork Producers Association; the Iowa Rural Water Association; the Iowa Soybean Association; the soil and water conservation districts of Iowa; the Iowa Association of County Conservation Boards; the department of agriculture and land stewardship; and the department of natural resources.
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 four members of the general assembly serve as ex officio, nonvoting members.
These members are appointed according to Iowa Code section 466A.3. The board awards grants and monitors the progress, assists with the development of monitoring plans for local watershed improvement projects, and reviews costs and benefits of mitigation practices utilized by a project.
[ARC 1053C, IAB 10/2/13, effective 1/1/14]
27—101.2(466A) Officers. The officers of the board shall be the chairperson and vice chairperson. Each officer shall be elected by vote of the board for a term of one year and may be reelected by vote of the board to serve one subsequent term in the same office. Members representing the department of agriculture and land stewardship, the department of natural resources and the general assembly are not eligible to serve as an officer of the board.
	101.2(1) The chairperson shall set the date for meetings, preside at meetings, and sign documents approved by the board.
	101.2(2) The vice chairperson shall act in the chairperson’s place when the chairperson is unable to act.
27—101.3(466A) Staff. The division of soil conservation of the department of agriculture and land stewardship shall provide administrative support to the board to aid in the completion of its duties.
27—101.4(466A) Meetings. The board shall meet at the time designated by the chairperson at least once annually and at other times the board determines are necessary. All meetings shall be held at such locations as are determined by the board.
27—101.5(466A) Quorum. A majority of the voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum. A majority of the voting members present during a meeting is necessary to carry out the duties and exercise the powers of the board as provided in this chapter.
27—101.6(466A) Conflict of interest. A voting member of the board shall abstain from participating on any issues relating to a local watershed improvement grant application submitted by a local watershed improvement committee or soil and water conservation district of which the person is a member. A member of the general assembly shall abstain from participating on any issues relating to a watershed which is in the member’s legislative district.
27—101.7(466A) Board responsibilities. The board shall do all of the following:
	1.	Award local watershed improvement grants and evaluate and review through reports the progress of local watershed improvement projects awarded grants.
	2.	Assist with the development of monitoring plans for local watershed improvement projects.
	3.	Review monitoring results before, during, and after completion of a local watershed improvement project.
	4.	Review costs and benefits of mitigation practices utilized by a project.
	5.	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.
	6.	Develop and adopt administrative rules pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 17A to administer this chapter.
27—101.8(466A) Technical assistance. The board shall elicit the expertise of other organizations for technical assistance in the work of the board. The organizations may include but are not limited to all of the following: the State University of Iowa; the Iowa State University of Science and Technology; the U.S. Geological Survey; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service; the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture; the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities; the Iowa chapter of the American Waterworks Association; the Iowa Water Pollution Control Association; the Iowa League of Cities; the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association; the Iowa Association of Business and Industry; the Iowa Environmental Health Association; the Iowa Corn Growers Association; the Iowa Poultry Association; the Iowa Farmers’ Union; and the Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association.
[ARC 1053C, IAB 10/2/13, effective 1/1/14]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 466A.
[Filed emergency 8/25/05—published 9/14/05, effective 8/25/05]
[Filed 1/27/06, Notice 9/14/05—published 2/15/06, effective 4/3/06]
[Filed ARC 1053C (Notice ARC 0927C, IAB 8/7/13), IAB 10/2/13, effective 1/1/14]