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DNR director confirmed; some Democrats say agency is hamstrung by governor • Iowa Capital Dispatch [1]

['Jared Strong', 'More From Author', '- April']

Date: 2024-04-03  

The Iowa Senate reconfirmed the director of the state Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday despite concerns from some Democrats that she is forced to operate as a puppet of Gov. Kim Reynolds.

“Kayla Lyon is just like many of Gov. Reynolds’ other appointees and department heads — she can only do so much,” said Sen. Claire Celsi, D-West Des Moines. “She can only do what the boss tells her to do.”

A Reynolds spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article.

Lyon, 39, of Ames, was appointed to the post by Reynolds in 2019. Her reconfirmation by the Senate this week was prompted by state law, which requires another confirmation vote for appointees after four years.

She leads a department of about 890 full-time and 450 seasonal employees. It is charged with maintaining public areas and wildlife and the enforcement of environmental regulations on businesses, cities, drinking water utilities and livestock operations.

Lyon “has taken that job to heart,” said Sen. Annette Sweeney, R-Alden. “Her work stretches in many ways throughout the department … wanting to make sure that our natural resources are taken care of in our state.”

A recent DNR evaluation listed more than 700 water body segments in the state that are impaired, meaning they don’t meet water quality standards for recreation, public water supplies and the protection of aquatic life. A primary contributor to the problem is agriculture, which is also under the purview of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

State parks also need about $100 million in repairs, and there is a plan to eliminate all park ranger positions, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Lyon was a lobbyist for dairy farmers and farmers’ cooperatives before joining state government. Her reconfirmation required two-thirds support, and Lyon cleared that threshold with a 40-9 vote. All of those who voted against confirmation were Democrats, and they were just over half of the Democrats in the chamber.

“I think that Kayla Lyon — if she was allowed to do what a director can do, provide policy direction to this body on what the problems are and how to fix them and the funding that needs to accompany that to solve those problems — this state would have clean water,” said Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, who voted against confirmation.

The DNR’s funding requests have been roughly static in recent years.

Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway, disputed that the DNR is prevented from taking sufficient action to protect the environment, along with Democrats’ claims of “how bad our environment is.” He said the resurgence of certain animal populations, such as bald eagles and whitetail deer, is evidence that conditions are improving.

“We have otters in the river we never used to have,” Shipley said. “We have turkeys in the trees that we never used to have. We have all kinds of bobcats.”

Lyon did not address the Democrats’ allegations but told Iowa Capital Dispatch: “It’s been an honor to serve as the director of the Department of Natural Resources. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside DNR staff across the state, and I’m humbled by their extensive knowledge and passion. My appreciation for this job doesn’t stop at the office or in the field with staff; it extends to when I’m spending time enjoying the resources with my family.”

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[1] Url: https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/03/dnr-director-confirmed-some-democrats-say-agency-is-hamstrung-by-governor/

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