[Vision2020] Legislators leery of Lochsa land swap plan

[Moscow Cares]

Courtesy of today's (September 24, 2014) Lewiston Tribune.

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Legislators leery of Lochsa land swap plan
Timing and trust issues continue to stall proposed exchange with Western Pacific Timber Company
Western Pacific Timber Company has sent draft legislation to members of the Idaho congressional delegation that would authorize the proposed upper Lochsa land exchange.
But it got a lukewarm reception from U.S. Sen. Jim Risch and Congressman Raul Labrador. Both Risch and Labrador sit on committees that have jurisdiction over legislation regarding federal land.
Risch has no immediate intentions of introducing a bill or working on the proposal that would revive the stalled land trade, according to his chief of staff, John Sandy.
Last year, Risch, Sen. Mike Crapo and Labrador, all Republicans, asked the U.S. Forest Service to stand down in its efforts to complete the trade administratively so they could consider a legislative process. But since then, delegation members have given a public cold shoulder to the swap with Risch, who sits on the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee, repeatedly saying he has more important priorities.
"I can tell you nothing has changed in our camp," Sandy said. "We are not ready to take a look at it yet, we are just simply not. We have a lot of reasons why and we are just not ready yet."
Sandy did not rule out the possibility that Risch, who is running for a second term, would take up the legislation at a later date.
Risch's Democratic challenger, Nels Mitchell, is suspicious of Risch's reluctance to take an interest in the exchange after asking to take the lead on the project a year ago.
"It's a calendar thing until after the election," he said.
Mitchell has heard from voters in Latah and Idaho counties who are passionately opposed to the trade that would swap about 39,000 acres of largely logged private land for about 23,000 acres of Forest Service land mostly south of Grangeville and Harpster and near Elk City. There are small parcels of federal land in Latah, Clearwater, Kootenai and Bonner counties that could also be traded away.
Mitchell said his research on the issue leads him to believe it is not in the interest of Idaho residents. He favors federal purchase of the Lochsa land.
Labrador was more welcoming of the draft legislation and called it a positive step.
"Over the past year, there has been an open and honest effort to give stakeholders an opportunity to have their concerns heard. I will review the draft. I look forward to engaging my constituents and moving this process along in a fair and transparent manner," he said in a statement provided by spokesman Dan Popkey.
Shirley Ringo, Labrador's Democratic opponent, said she favors acquiring the Lochsa lands through purchase and is generally uncomfortable with large land exchanges. She has spoken to many people who feel like they haven't been included in discussions about the proposed legislation.
"I haven't seen the proposal but I am concerned about assurances the process going forward would be transparent because I don't think people have the feeling it has been, and I think there are concerns about the company itself and certainly the accessibility," she said.
Western Pacific attorney Andy Hawes said the company has met with residents of Idaho County over the past year to discuss their concerns with the trade. The bill includes easements on most but not all of the land, which would guarantee recreational access and prevent subdivision and other development. Some limited development could be allowed near Elk City, something Hawes said Elk City residents favor. Hawes said the easements would likely be held by Idaho County, and the company would fund a part-time employee to oversee them for the county and to work with members of the public.
Nez Perce tribal members would have treaty rights to hunt, fish and gather on the private land that would become public in the upper Lochsa River basin. But they would not retain treaty rights on the public land that is traded away. However, Hawes said tribal members, just like the rest of the public, would have the right to hunt, fish and gather on the company's newly acquired property.
Darren Williams, an attorney for the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, said tribal Chairman Silas Whitman and other members of the committee would review the legislation and communicate concerns to Risch and other members of the committee.
According to the draft legislation, the U.S. Forest Service would retain management of many of the highly used public roads and trails that cross the traded-away land. The company would extend grazing rights to ranchers who have leases on the federal land for 18 months and then enter into 30- to 40-year contracts with them.
Opponents of the land trade who fear a loss of access to the now-public land are suspicious of the promise of anti-development and access easements. Ray Anderson of Grangeville has been bow hunting for elk on some of the parcels that would be traded away.
"I won't be hunting on Western Pacific land for long because they will sell it to somebody who won't let me hunt on it," he said.
Hawes said if the land is sold, the easements, which will be recorded as deed restrictions, would live in perpetuity. But Anderson isn't buying it. He served on an Idaho County task force that explored the proposed land trade and the possibility of easements.
"Everybody pretty much agreed it wasn't going to work," he said. "It is too big of an area. Who is going to pay for policing of the area? It has to be policed and it has to be maintained and there is no structure of who is going to do that."
Anderson wants to hear what the delegation members intend to do with the draft legislation and said their answers, or lack thereof, will influence him when he votes.
"They are apparently waiting until after the election because they are worried if they do they might not get elected," he said.
Marilyn Beckett of Friends of the Palouse Ranger District has several problems with the draft legislation. But at the heart of it, she said she has no trust in Western Pacific to live up to its promises.
Hawes said the company intends to manage the land it might acquire for timber harvest. North central Idaho companies would be hired to do the logging and the timber would be sold to local mills. He said the company is also looking forward to hearing from delegation members.
"We will just have to wait for their signal if they want to work on this or a signal they don't want to go in that direction, at which point it would be a sign to us to go ahead and monetize the Lochsa land," he said. "It would probably be a comprehensive plan that would include some logging and some subdivision and development and selling some parcels to multiple parties."

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A reminder to mark your calendar for . . . 

. . . The Idaho Debates on Idaho Public Television

Debate Schedule
Secretary of State
Tuesday Oct. 7, 7:00 p.m. MT/PT
  Lawerence Denney (R)
  Holli Woodings (D)
1st Congressional District
Thursday Oct. 9, 7:00 p.m. MT/PT
  Raul Labrador (R, i)
  Shirley Ringo (D)
State Treasurer
Thursday Oct. 9, 8:30 p.m. MT/PT
  Ron Crane (R, i)
  Deborah Silver (D)
Supt. of Public Instruction
Tuesday Oct. 21, 7:00 p.m. MT/PT
  Jana Jones (D)
  Sherri Ybarra (R)
2nd Congressional District
Sunday Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m. MT/PT
  Mike Simpson (R, i)
  Richard Stallings (D)
Governor
Thursday Oct. 30, 7:00 p.m. MT/PT
  A.J. Balukoff (D)
  John Bujak (L)
  C. L. "Butch" Otter (R, i)

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"Moscow Cares" 
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Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
  


Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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