Former Decorah lawmaker named new Iowa DNR director

Former Decorah lawmaker Chuck Gipp has been named director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources by Gov. Terry Branstad.

Gipp, 64, replaces Roger Lande of Muscatine, who resigned last week after 16 months as director.

A former dairy farmer and former state soil conservation director, Gipp most recently has been deputy director of the DNR.

Branstad noted Gipp's “outstanding record of service to this state,” which includes 18 years in the Iowa House. He's sure Gipp will “use his knowledge and talents at the DNR.

“Iowa has some of the most beautiful scenery, amazing waterways and fertile land in the country and Chuck shares my belief in protecting these precious resources,” Branstad said.

His enthusiasm is not shared by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI), which called Gipp's appointment “only the latest step in Branstad's corporate agenda to stack the decks of state government with factory farm industry insiders hostile to strong and effective public oversight of the environment.”

“Chuck Gipp's never met a factory farm bill he didn't like,” said Larry Ginter a CCI spokesman from Rhodes. Gipp will be leading “an agency he spent his entire legislative career trying to deregulate and dismantle.”

In 2001, CCI members labeled Gipp one of the “Factory Farm Four” because of his long voting record to reduce and rollback citizen input and public oversight over the corporate factory farm industry.

But Branstad called Gipp an “avid outdoorsman (who) fully understands the critical role DNR plays in the success of our hunting and fishing industries.”

“He will work with their advocates to further promote this important part of the Iowa economy,” Branstad concluded.

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds predicted Gipp's “hands-on, proactive approach will serve the department well.”

“Gipp brings a wealth of experience to this position, and he will use his passion for Iowa's natural resources as his guide in serving Iowans,” she said.

Gipp, a Republican, was first elected to the House in 1990. He served as House Majority Leader from 2003-07. He did not seek re-election in 2008.

“This is a great opportunity to serve the people of Iowa and protect our natural resources with common sense solutions,” Gipp said. “I look forward to working with the people of Iowa as we together promote and protect Iowa's land, lakes, waterways and air.”

He and his wife, Renae, live in Decorah. They have two adult children.

For more on Iowa CCI's objections, visit

www.iowacci.org