<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><div>Legislature to Department of Water Resources, Idaho Water Resource Board, citizens: "Nevermind!"</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><h1 class="post-title" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 2.625em; line-height: 1em; margin:
0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(32, 64, 96);">Lawmakers seek to cut climate, endangered species out of state water plan</h1><div class="post-meta" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; color: rgb(159, 159, 159);"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author posted" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Posted on </span><a href="http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/lawmakers-seek-to-cut-climate-endangered-species-out-of-state-water-plan/" title="11:32 am" rel="bookmark" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;
vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;"><span class="timestamp" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">February 28, 2013</span></a><span class="byline" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> by </span><span class="author vcard" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="url fn n" href="http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/author/rbarker/" title="View all posts by Rocky Barker" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit;
line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;">Rocky Barker</a></span> <span class="comments-link" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="mdash" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">—</span> <a href="http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/lawmakers-seek-to-cut-climate-endangered-species-out-of-state-water-plan/#comments" title="Comment on Lawmakers seek to cut climate, endangered species out of state water plan" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color:
rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;">1 Comment ↓</a></span></div><div class="post-entry" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><div id="attachment_2770" class="wp-caption alignright" style="border: 1px solid rgb(240, 240, 240); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px 0px 20px 20px; padding: 13px 10px 10px; vertical-align: baseline; float: right; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249); max-width: 96%; text-align: center; width: 310px;"><a href="http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/fish-screen.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);
text-decoration: none;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2770" alt="A fish screen on a headgate by the Lemhi River that saves salmon and protects ranchers" src="http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/fish-screen-300x202.jpg" width="300" height="202" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; height: auto; max-width: 98.5%; width: auto;"></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">A fish screen on a headgate by the Lemhi River that saves salmon and protects ranchers.</div></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top:
1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">References to climate variability, minimum streams flows to helped endangered salmon and other measures that grew out of the 2004 Nez Perce Agreement were cut from the <a href="http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2013/H0038.pdf" target="_blank" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: none;">Idaho State Water Plan</a> by a panel led by House Resources and Conservation members.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">The water plan was written over he last five years
by the staff of the Idaho Department of Water Resources and the Idaho Water Resource Board. A series of hearings were held around the state last year and many of the public concerns we written into the final draft, said Water Board chairman Roger Chase of Pocatello.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">But the Idaho Legislature can rewrite it if they get it done with 60 days of the opening of the session. That means these proposed changes must be approved by both the House and the Senate by Thursday, March 7.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">And
Gov. Butch Otter would have to sign it, essentially gutting the plan written the board he appointed and the agency under his command.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">Or the plan goes into effect as written March 8. The clock is ticking.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">So the House Resources and Conservation has scheduling a print hearing on the proposed changes Friday at 1:30 p.m.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em;
margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">The changes also include removal of references to an Aquifer Storage and Recovery Task, and the values of protecting wetlands, stream-side areas, flood plains and stream channels. It also appears to weaken the case for managed aquifer recharge projects and attempts to strengthen the argument for encouraging incidental recharge projects that would pay farmers and canal companies for the water.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">Republican Rep. Ken Andrus of Lava Hot Springs said there are already too many federal agencies managing wetlands and floodplains. He said the plan could become the basis for future legislation.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family:
inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">“I don’t want the state to manage wetlands,” Andrus said. “It could take private property rights.”</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">The actual impact of the changes is minimal since the plan is not law or even rules. It’s just a plan.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">But the plan is used as a way to support appeals for funding for
water projects such as new reservoirs, flood control, fish screens and improved water monitoring devices. It also can become important as evidence if the state’s pro-active efforts to protect endangered species in the event of lawsuits, such as the suit filed by sporting groups, environmental groups, the Nez Perce tribe and others to protect Idaho’s salmon and steelhead.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">So by cutting out references to “climate variability,” a compromise in the language already because many Idahoans refuse to acknowledge climate change, the editing undercut efforts to get the federal government to help build reservoirs like the proposed Galloway Reservoir on the Weiser River. It comes as this year’s water supply is as
uncertain as ever because of a low snowpack, which is expected more years than not according to climate scientists because of global warming.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">“They are taking away the Water Resource Department’s ability to plan for climate change,” said Marie Kellner, who works on water issues for the Idaho Conservation League.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">And by cutting out references to minimum stream flows, fish screens and water banks used to help farmers and ranchers in the Lemhi and Pahsimeroi basins avoid
enforcement under the federal Endangered Species Act, the changes actually become evidence that the state is not serious about protecting the fish, critics say.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">“It really puts the state in a weaker position,” Chase said.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 1.6em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"> </div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px; height: 1px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); overflow: hidden;"><br>Read more here:
http://blogs.idahostatesman.com/lawmakers-seek-to-cut-climate-endangered-species-out-of-state-water-plan/#storylink=cpy</div><div></div></div></div></div></body></html>