The Saturday Summary is a weekly roundup of some of ICIE’s activities in and around the Idaho Legislature. Staffing limits mean we can’t cover every meeting. If there’s an item of interest to you at an upcoming meeting of one of the environment or agriculture committees, let us know and we’ll try to cover it. Agendas are available at www.state.id.us. Click on “Legislative” and click on “Calendars and agendas.”
The House Resources and Conservation Committee met on Thursday to hear presentations on Idaho Forestry Program that is part of the Snake River Basin Adjudication settlement agreement and one on tracking Idaho wolves.
Steve Strack from the Idaho Attorney General’s office briefed the committee members on the settlement agreement which took six years of negotiation. The forestry program is part of the Nez Perce Agreement which was a settlement of the Nez Perce Tribe’s claims to water rights on the Snake River. It is a voluntary program which outlines forest management practices that protect salmonids while giving the forest landowner an incidental take permit under Section 6 of the Endangered Species. This approach is the first of its kind. The riparian protection measures outlined in the program provide 95% protection of a pristine area.
Implementation began in 2005. Following these practices has not much financial impact on the endowment funds produced by Idaho’s state forest lands. The program is designed to be profitable in addition to protecting salmonids.
A notice of intent to conduct public scoping has been published to allow the public an opportunity to comment on the provisions of the agreement which will lead to reasonable alternative. Under order to comply with Section 6, there has to be public scoping opportunities. The process will take two years. It will cover all aspects of industrial forestry practices.
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