Over 1,700 hundred Idahoans showed up on the Capitol steps on March 22, demanding support for our public lands…and it appears to have been disregarded. A mother and her injured son stood in opposition to a bill undermining road safety, bringing her young son’s mangled bike to the Transportation Committee hearing, and legislators were unmoved. Idahoans are standing up, showing up, and speaking up for the issues they believe in, and the legislature is ignoring them.
ICL’s official advice: keep showing up, keep making noise. Especially when you’re frustrated. Especially when you’re angry. Channel that anger, register new voters, educate neighbors, keep talking to your elected leaders about the issues you care about.
A few days after the public lands rally, the House passed SJM 104, seeking to control the federally-administered Camas National Wildlife Refuge, north of Idaho Falls. And as a mother’s anguished pleas to protect bicyclists like her son echoed through the Capitol, the legislature ignored her voice and advanced two bills to the Governor’s desk that will make it harder to install crosswalks, bike lanes, and other safety features on our roads.
Our choice is to continue to stand up for the issues we care about, or to crawl into a shell. Do we even have a choice? The correct answer is No. Join mothers and sons, daughters and fathers, and all Idahoans who use our roadways (that’s all of us!) in Demanding the Governor VETO these dangerous bills!
The Legislature also jammed through changes to Cyanidation Permitting rules for gold mines, and two troubling public land-related bills are set for final Senate votes today.
Finally, this is likely the last full Legislative Update of the session—that is, if lawmakers can get moving again after Friday’s total budget breakdown, when most Senators simply walked off the floor.
Want my full session report delivered to your doorstep? You’ll need to be a dues-paying ICL member. Considering most lobbyists charge tens of thousands for a retainer, $50 a year seems like a bargain, doesn’t it? Join today!
VETO opportunity: Transportation Bills await Gov’s signature, speak up before it’s too late!
ICL and other public safety and transportation advocates are calling on the Governor to Veto two bills seeking to limit highway and bridge projects unless they “primarily benefit motor vehicles” including reducing traffic congestion, travel delays, engine idle time, and unproductive fuel consumption. As we’ve said, those are important considerations. However, these bills block essential improvements and limit local control—a troubling move, especially as risks to pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, and others are on the rise. Ask Gov. Little to VETO Both!
Several Public Land measures await final Senate votes
Two House bills that I reported on last week are expected to pass the Senate today. The first (HB 389) encourages Idaho state firefighters to work on federal land without federal approval, increasing the state’s financial and legal liabilities. It could also jeopardize the Idaho Master Fire Agreement, which coordinates fire suppression efforts across the state. The other (HB 148) seeks to cover private legal fees for two Owyhee County ranchers. The bill appears to direct the Constitutional Defense Council to violate the Idaho Constitution.
The Land Bank Bill (HB 129), which aimed to reinvest over $85 million from state land sales in other public land acquisitions, appears to have died. That means that unless acquisitions are made, by the end of the year, $8 million from public land sales will be diverted to the stock market, reducing public land acreage in Idaho.
Cyanide Bill cuts corners en route to Governor’s desk
The Idaho Mining Association’s (IMA) effort to change the ground rules for mining operations that use cyanide—a highly toxic chemical used in gold extraction—quickly cleared the Senate and is awaiting a final signature from Gov. Little. We have little doubt he’ll sign it.
ICL was a key participant in the previously-negotiated rules, alongside the IMA and Perpetua Resources, the developer of the Stibnite mining project near Yellow Pine, which ICL is challenging. Now instead of petitioning for changes, miners rewrote the rules with the Department of Environmental Quality—excluding ICL. The new rules weaken protections for wildlife and groundwater and undermine the rulemaking process. Miners claim they excluded ICL due to legal challenges, but as ICL testified last week, concerns over mining projects doesn’t justify changing the rules mid-game.
Why are cyanide rules important? In the 1980’s and 90’s cyanide spills at the Yellowjacket and Blackbird Mines, both near Salmon, together released of around 40,000 gallons of cyanide-contaminated waste, resulting in significant downstream impacts. And in the early 90’s, over 100 waterfowl died after landing in cyanide-laced tailings pond at the DeLamar Mine in Idaho’s Owyhee Mountains. Other states ensure that public health and fish are protected. Montana voters banned the use of cyanide in mining after dozens of mishaps.
In Idaho, unfortunately you can count on the mining companies dictating the rules of the game. The other thing you can count on is that the Idaho Conservation League will be keeping a close eye on every one of these mining operations, as long as we have your support? Even Sen. Risch recognized the critical role that ICL plays in keeping a watchful eye on these operations…(see minute 4:23)
Cynthia’s Corner 
It is both promising and discouraging to hear so much talk about Idaho’s public lands. The turnout at the statehouse on March 22 was a demonstration of the passion Idahoans have for keeping 61% of Idaho in the hands of all Idahoans. Thank you for showing up! Unfortunately, two bills are quietly working through the Idaho legislature this session, which we fear is a sign of ongoing threats. HB 389, under the guise of assisting community firefighting efforts, threatens the ability of the state and federal government to cooperate in the effort to fight fires across the state each summer.
The second bill threatens public lands, clean water, and Tribal Treaty rights. SJM 104 is a non-binding measure that calls for the federal government to turn management of the Camas National Wildlife Refuge water based on concerns over “cleaning” Camas Creek, that runs through the refuge. Just like we’ve seen for decades, this appears to be an effort to seize public lands under false pretense. Rep. Monica Church (D-Boise) debated the measure passionately, but it passed the House with overwhelming support.
ICL’s solution to each of these efforts is to keep public lands in public hands, and collaborate with parties to find real solutions that benefit all Idahoans. In the end, we’ve found cooperation always works better than seizure.
Tie of the Week
Journalism plays a pivotal role in the accountability and transparency of our government. Ensuring access to public records and the inside dealings of the legislature is critical. In the days of yore, Associated Press reporter Bob Fick reportedly started the tradition of wearing ugly to encourage legislators to head home. With a WIDER than average selection of ugly ties, I always look forward to the spring! So last week, I wore a number of ugly ties, 5 in a row, I think? They say “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” but with this tie, I’m not so sure. Anyway, this one’s for all the journalists, media, storytellers and others who tell all the ugly stories.
Until next week…Could it truly be the last? Esto Perpetua,
Jonathan