House Resolution 141

PAG LIN

  1  1                HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.    
  1  2                       BY  FREEMAN
  1  3 A Resolution urging the United States Congress to
  1  4    appropriate funds to the National Park Service to
  1  5    assist state and local governments and private
  1  6    landowners in developing a comprehensive plan to
  1  7    preserve and restore the Loess Hills in Iowa.
  1  8    WHEREAS, the Loess Hills in Iowa are a unique
  1  9 natural resource that are recognized worldwide for
  1 10 their unique landscape and geological value; and
  1 11    WHEREAS, the Loess Hills are also recognized for
  1 12 their unique cultural and archaeological resources;
  1 13 and
  1 14    WHEREAS, the National Park Service and a team of
  1 15 Iowa specialists completed a Special Resource Study
  1 16 and Environmental Assessment of the Loess Hills in
  1 17 2002; and
  1 18    WHEREAS, the Special Resource Study provided
  1 19 national recognition that the Loess Hills in western
  1 20 Iowa with their extensive prairie ecosystems are of
  1 21 "exceptional value"; and
  1 22    WHEREAS, the Special Resource Study catalogued a
  1 23 series of threats to the integrity of the Loess Hills
  1 24 including erosion, displacement of prairie, unplanned
  1 25 growth, and degradation of archaeological resources;
  1 26 and
  1 27    WHEREAS, a comprehensive plan would complement and
  1 28 assist in synthesizing the efforts of a broad range of
  1 29 state, private, and federal programs; and
  1 30    WHEREAS, the need for assistance is most acute in
  2  1 the twelve special landscape areas that have been
  2  2 identified in the Loess Hills; and
  2  3    WHEREAS, federal assistance is needed to aid state
  2  4 and local governments and private landowners in the
  2  5 Loess Hills in their efforts to preserve these last
  2  6 native prairies of Iowa and this scenic landform; and
  2  7    WHEREAS, the State of Iowa and the nation are
  2  8 celebrating the visit of the Lewis and Clark Corps of
  2  9 Discovery to this treasured Iowa landform 200 years
  2 10 ago; NOW THEREFORE,
  2 11    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
  2 12 That the Iowa House of Representatives urges Congress
  2 13 to immediately act to authorize and appropriate
  2 14 funding to the National Park Service so that the
  2 15 National Park Service can participate with the Loess
  2 16 Hills Development and Conservation Authority and with
  2 17 representatives of the Iowa Department of Agriculture
  2 18 and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural
  2 19 Resources, the Iowa Department of Transportation,
  2 20 educational institutions, nongovernmental
  2 21 organizations, and private landowners in the
  2 22 development of a comprehensive plan to ensure the
  2 23 long=term protection of the Loess Hills in Iowa; and
  2 24    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the
  2 25 House of Representatives send copies of this
  2 26 Resolution to the President of the United States; the
  2 27 President of the United States Senate; the Speaker of
  2 28 the United States House of Representatives; and to
  2 29 members of Iowa's congressional delegation.
  2 30 LSB 5465HH 80
  3  1 av/gg/14