DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- Iowa Department of Natural Resources director Richard Leopold is resigning to take a job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Minnesota.
Leopold will become the Midwest assistant regional director for science applications, with a tentative start date of Sept. 12. He had been state DNR director since January 2007.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius says Leopold's background with conservation agencies and nongovernment groups made him right for the job.
Leopold says he's been negotiating with federal officials for eight months.
His departure got mixed reviews, with The Nature Conservancy praising him but Sen. Dennis Black of Lynnville saying Leopold didn't reach out enough to farm groups or the Legislature.
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKHQA