Resource Enhancement & Protection (REAP)

REAP Assemblies are locally led public meetings at which information is given out and ideas are taken in by the attending state officials. The REAP law requires the following things happen at each assembly:

• The DNR provides those attending with information regarding REAP expenditures. The overall REAP budget is presented and projects in the region are listed that have been funded with REAP dollars.
• People attending the assemblies shall identify opportunities for regional REAP projects. Examples that have frequently come up are trails, river corridor protection, wetland restoration, soil erosion prevention, conservation education, and resource inventories.
• People attending the assemblies shall also review and recommend changes to REAP policies, programs, and funding. This is the portion of the meeting that people speak out on anything they want regarding the inner workings of REAP.
• And last but not least, the people at the assemblies are responsible for electing five individuals to serve on the REAP Congress. In addition to the five delegates, 2 other people are elected as alternates to the delegates. In the event that one of the delegates cannot attend the Congress, an alternate fills that spot.

REAP Congress is made up of the 90 delegates elected at the 18 regional assemblies, which occur every two years. At the Congress, delegates work on REAP policies and the inner workings of REAP. Examples are: funding, fund distribution, assembly procedures and agendas, and operations of County REAP Committees. The REAP Law, Chapter 455A.17.3, states:

The delegates to the congress on resources enhancement and protection shall organize, discuss, and make recommendations to the governor, the general assembly, and natural resource commission regarding issues concerning resources enhancement and protection.

It is also important to understand what the REAP Congress does not do; specifically, it is not the time or place to discuss specific REAP projects or project selection. Project-specific discussions are more appropriate at County REAP Committee meetings, REAP assemblies (if the project is regional in nature), and state, county, or city agencies responsible for deciding how REAP is specifically spent.

The one-day Congress agenda primarily follows what the proceeding REAP assemblies have identified as important REAP issues. Ideally, a delegate will discuss these issues with other people in their local area to get more input. Delegates may attend some County REAP Committee meetings to receive input for use during the Congress. They may attend soil conservation district, county conservation board, city council, and historical society meetings to receive suggestions.

The work of the Congress begins on a Saturday morning and ends in mid to late afternoon on that same day. Just like the 18 assemblies, the Congress's first order of business is to elect a chairperson from among its members. Nominations are taken from the floor and a vote is taken to determine the chairperson. With the assistance of the state departments, the chairperson is responsible for leading the Congress through its agenda.

Specific issues are discussed, and if desired, recommendations of the Congress are developed. Votes on each recommendation are taken and with a simple majority of the delegates the motion can be officially adopted as a recommendation by the Congress. These recommendations are submitted to the Governor, General Assembly, or Natural Resources Commission to further consider whether the change is executed.

Previous REAP Congress Reports:

• 2017 REAP Congress & Assembly Report
• 2018 REAP Congress & Assembly Report
• 2020 REAP Congress & Assembly Report
• 2022 REAP Congress & Assembly Report
• 2024 REAP Congress & Assembly Report
   

Becoming a member of your county committee is a great way to introduce yourself to REAP and all the benefits that the program offers for your county  making the program all that it can be. The duties of the county resource enhancement committee are to coordinate the resource enhancement program, plans, and proposed projects developed by cities, county conservation board, and soil and water conservation district commissioners for funding under this subchapter. The county committee shall review and comment upon all projects before they are submitted for funding under section 455A.19 . Each county committee shall propose a five-year program plan which includes a one-year proposed expenditure plan and submit it to the department’s REAP Coordinator .

 According to Iowa Code 455A.20, REAP county committee members are:

• The chair of the county board of supervisors, or its designee
• The chair of the county conservation board, or its designee
• The chair of the county soil and water district, or its designee
• The chair of a school board, or its designee
• The mayor of each city in the county, or its designee
• Head or designee member of a recognized county farm or farm commodity group
• The chair or designee member of any recognized wildlife, conservation, environmental, recreation, conservation education, historical-cultural, nonpartisan governmental research group, study group of the League of Women Voters that has a county organization.
• A historic preservation commission or similar entity established by a county or city in the county.
• A private organization that provides recognition and protection for historic buildings, structures, sites, and districts in a county or a city.
• A historic museum or organization that maintains a collection of documents relating to the history of a county or a city.

Despite this law, anyone in the public can and should be encouraged to attend and participate in the meetings.