[Vision2020] Risch plays rope-a-dope with land swap

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (September 27, 2014) Lewiston Tribune.

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Risch plays rope-a-dope with land swap
Marty Trillhaase
About a year ago, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch and Congressman Raul Labrador, both R-Idaho, jumped into the Upper Lochsa land swap flap.
The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest's attempts to forge an administrative, value-for-value trade of Western Pacific Timber's largely logged-over 39,000 acres at the headwaters of the Lochsa River for about 18,000 acres of public lands in northern Idaho had bogged down.
However much the Forest Service prized the headwaters, it ran into opposition from Idaho County, which feared the erosion of its already narrow tax base. Recreationists and conservationists feared lost access and degradation of the former public lands.
So Risch, who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Labrador, who is a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, proposed a legislative remedy.
"We request the Forest Service and (Western Pacific Timber) to pause the administrative exchange and, instead, stand ready to assist in the development of a balanced, legislative proposal," Risch, Labrador and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, wrote U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell.
A year later, it's come to this: WPT has taken the unusual step of writing its own Lochsa land exchange bill and then rather publicly dropping it at the congressional delegation's doorstep.
To comprehend what happened next, you need to crack the code.
Rather than Risch, his chief of staff, John Sandy, responded to the Tribune's Eric Barker.
Translation: Up for re-election this year, Risch won't debate Democrat Nels Mitchell if he can avoid it. So on any hot-button issue, Sandy will handle it.
"I can tell you nothing has changed in our camp," Sandy said.
Translation: Don't call us. We'll call you.
"We are not ready to take a look at it yet."
Translation: If it's a chance to vote no on federal spending for health care or rural school funding, Risch will sprint to the Senate floor. But when it comes to the Lochsa land swap, he's playing rope-a-dope. If the locals can reach a consensus, Risch will be there to claim the credit. Otherwise, don't look to him to broker a deal.
"We have a lot of reasons why and we are just not ready yet."
Translation: There are more than 660,000 reasons - otherwise known as voters. Even after Risch wins a second term on Nov. 4, don't expect anything to change. The morning of Nov. 5, Crapo's re-election campaign cranks up.
At least Labrador was more forthcoming.
"Over the past year, there has been an open and honest effort to give stakeholders an opportunity to have their concerns heard."
Translation: Labrador doesn't need a mouthpiece. He can speak for himself.
"I will review the draft. I look forward to engaging my constituents and moving this process along in a fair and transparent manner."
Translation: Let's not make anyone mad.
WPT, which has been working the corridors of power for some time with no results, offered this response:
"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 lands," said WPT attorney Andy Hawes.
Translation: Don't you think they're already mad? - M.T.

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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