Relating to the acquisition of land by certain governmental entities

The bill prohibits the departments from disbursing funds after July 1, 2019. Under the bill, any principal and interest outstanding on or after July 1, 2019, from a blufflands protection loan shall be paid to the division of soil and water quality, with moneys paid to the division credited to the rebuild Iowa infrastructure fund. The department of natural resources or a county may currently use funds to purchase or otherwise acquire properties for public purpose. The bill prohibits the department or a county from accepting and developing lands, with some exceptions. The bill allows a county board of conservation to acquire land only in the case of exchange when the property exchanged for is suitable and of substantially the same value as the property exchanged, or if a person donates the land with an accompanying monetary donation to cover the estimated cost of maintaining the land for years. The bill allows the department to accept land for public benefit if a person gifts or devises the land to the department. The department shall give priority to the maintenance and enhancement of currently owned open spaces of statewide significance. The bill prohibits a city from using funds from grants by the department for projects outside of the city’s boundaries. The bill prohibits a nonpoint source water pollution control project from including an acquisition of real property for future donation or sale to the department, other political subdivision, or the federal government. The bill also prohibits a political subdivision from acquiring land that a private entity purchased with the assistance of revolving loan funds under the federal Clean Water Act. Current law allows a person or corporation to claim a tax credit for a charitable conservation contribution to a qualified organization made exclusively for conservation purposes. The bill repeals that tax credit.