The Iowa DNR director is the chief administrator of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate to run everything from state parks and wildlife management to air and water pollution enforcement. The current director is Kayla Lyon, and the department’s headquarters can be reached at 515-725-8200 or by mail at 6200 Park Avenue, Suite 200, Des Moines, IA 50321.1Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Contact Iowa DNR
Who Currently Leads the Iowa DNR
Kayla Lyon was appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds and is the first woman to lead the agency.2Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities. Kayla Lyon Named First Female Director of the Iowa DNR The Iowa Legislature’s departmental directory lists a direct line to the director at 515-725-3520.3Iowa Legislature. Department of Natural Resources
Like every director before her, Lyon serves at the pleasure of the governor, meaning the governor can replace the director at any time without cause.
What the Director Does
Iowa Code § 455A.4 gives the director a broad portfolio: planning, coordinating, and carrying out every function assigned to the department. In practice that covers snowmobile and ATV regulation, hazardous waste oversight, fish and game management, state parks, water quality, and air quality, among others.4Justia. Iowa Code Section 455A.4 – General Powers and Duties of the Director
Some duties shape daily operations more than others:
- Preparing a comprehensive annual budget for every program and activity in the department.
- Hiring the staff needed to carry out those programs, under state human resources rules.
- Adopting administrative rules to organize or reorganize the department, following the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act.
- Submitting a biennial or annual report to the governor and General Assembly.
- Coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship on water quality and watershed programs to maximize federal funding.
The director can delegate any of these powers to a department employee but remains responsible for what the employee does within that delegation.4Justia. Iowa Code Section 455A.4 – General Powers and Duties of the Director The department can enter contracts, agreements, and grants, and it can accept credit card payments for fees and penalties.
Under Iowa Code § 455A.7, the director also creates the department’s internal divisions and bureaus, appoints a deputy director to run the agency during absences, and appoints an administrator for each division. Those appointments must be based on training, experience, and capability rather than political considerations.5Justia. Iowa Code Section 455A.7 – Creation of Divisions, Bureaus, and Other Administrative Entities, Deputy Director, Administrators
How the Director Is Chosen
Iowa Code § 455A.3 governs the appointment. The governor nominates someone with a working knowledge of natural resource management and environmental protection, chosen for training, experience, and professional capability.6Justia. Iowa Code Title XI Chapter 455A – Department Of Natural Resources The Iowa Senate then votes on confirmation, which requires a two-thirds supermajority, or 34 of 50 senators.
The job comes with restrictions that are stricter than many administrative posts. The director must work full time, cannot hold any other public office, and cannot serve on a political committee.4Justia. Iowa Code Section 455A.4 – General Powers and Duties of the Director The governor sets the salary within a range established by the General Assembly.
Where the Director’s Authority Stops
The director runs the department, but policy on most programs is set by two citizen commissions. This split matters if you are trying to figure out who to contact about a rule, a permit framework, or a land acquisition.
Natural Resource Commission
Seven governor-appointed members, confirmed by the Senate for staggered six-year terms, set policy and adopt rules for hunting, fishing, state parks, recreational boating, and wildlife habitat.7Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Natural Resource Commission The commission approves or rejects the director’s proposals to buy or sell state lands, parks, and wildlife areas, and it reviews the director’s budget for natural resource programs before it moves forward.8Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 455A.5 – Natural Resource Commission, Appointment and Duties It also hears contested-case appeals of the director’s decisions in those areas.
Environmental Protection Commission
Nine governor-appointed members serving four-year terms set policy and adopt rules for water quality, solid waste, air quality, and animal feeding operations. The commission approves or denies hazardous waste disposal site licenses and advises on the environmental programs budget.9Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 455A.6 – Environmental Protection Commission, Appointment and Duties When this commission adopts a new water quality standard or air emission rule, the director has to deploy staff to enforce it.
Before the director creates or modifies any division touching one of these subject areas, the law requires consultation with the relevant commission.5Justia. Iowa Code Section 455A.7 – Creation of Divisions, Bureaus, and Other Administrative Entities, Deputy Director, Administrators
Federal Programs the Director Administers
Some of the director’s most consequential work involves federal programs delegated to Iowa. Since 1978, the DNR has held delegated authority to administer the federal NPDES wastewater discharge permit program under the Clean Water Act, and in 1992 it received authorization to issue general permits for stormwater discharges.10Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Stormwater Program
Under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can transfer primary implementation and enforcement authority for federal emission standards to a state agency that shows adequate legal authority and resources.11US EPA. Delegation of Clean Air Act Authority Where that delegation is in place, regulated facilities submit reports and permit applications to the state rather than the EPA. Keeping the staffing, technical capacity, and enforcement record that supports those delegations is the director’s responsibility. If a delegation lapsed, the EPA would take over permitting directly.
Budget Authority
The director prepares and controls the department’s budget across all divisions and programs.12Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 455A.3 – Director of Department of Natural Resources Funding comes from general fund appropriations, the Environment First Fund, federal grants, and various fees and permits.
For fiscal year 2026, the Environment First Fund alone directed roughly $24 million to DNR programs, including $12 million for the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) program, $6.2 million for park operations, and nearly $3 million for water quality monitoring stations.13Iowa Legislature. Budget Recap for FY 2024-2026 Within those appropriations the director decides how to allocate staff time and equipment, from trail maintenance crews to laboratory scientists. Both commissions review and approve their respective portions of the budget before it reaches the governor and legislature, so the director operates inside boundaries set by the commissions on one side and the legislature on the other.
Contacting the Director’s Office
The Iowa DNR headquarters is at 6200 Park Avenue, Suite 200, Des Moines, IA 50321. The main phone number is 515-725-8200, staffed during regular business hours, and staff can route calls to the director’s office or the appropriate division.1Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Contact Iowa DNR A direct number for the director is 515-725-3520.3Iowa Legislature. Department of Natural Resources Written correspondence to the headquarters address is the most formal channel for submitting public comments on department policies or rulemaking proposals.