DES MOINES, Iowa – This year it doesn?t seem likely that Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will veto funding for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative.
Last year, he vetoed more than $11 million in one-time water quality funding, though nearly $4.5 million in nutrient management funding did survive his pen.
This year, the state legislature is sending him a bill containing $9.6 million in water conservation dollars. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey says a veto is unlikely, in part because this time around, one-time funding isn?t part of the equation, and because Branstad himself requested at least part of the appropriation.
?This year, the Governor asked for that increase,? Northey says, ?or asked for at least part of that increase; $3.1 million dollars of new money out of the Renew Rural Iowa Infrastructure fund, and the legislature provides $5.2 million. So this is the exact way the governor looked at funding it as well. This is beyond what the governor had asked for, but I think he certainly has been very supportive of this program, and we certainly would urge his support in signing this legislation, and I would expect that it?s very likely that it would happen.?
There?s no statutory mechanism to ensure consistent and reliable funding for water quality improvement or water conservation. Northey says that?s not likely to change, considering the precedent that?s been set by annual appropriations for the Iowa Department of Agriculture?s soil conservation cost-share program.
?That?s actually been funded for 40 years, [with] very even funding,? says Northey. ?It?s allowed to change every year, but generally, it has been very sustainable in what the contribution has been from year to year as well. I think if the legislature believes in a program, it can be there very strong. We?ve actually been fortunate that this legislature, and the previous two, have believed in water quality to a greater degree than they have in the past, so that they?re making increasing investments, and we think this can continue to go on for a while.?
To hear more about water funding in this year?s budget, click the audio player above this story.
