Protecting Clean Air & Water
Every Idahoan deserves clean air and water. From the contaminated soils of the Silver Valley, to tainted groundwater, to toxic algae outbreaks—pollution is harming too many Idaho families. That’s why the Idaho Conservation League works to make sure our public health and environmental laws are followed fairly and consistently, and that polluters pay their fair share to clean up the messes they create. ICL shows up with knowledge and practical solutions that make sure our future is healthy and prosperous for all Idahoans.
Our long-term goal is to ensure that Idaho’s air and waters and as protected as possible, polluters are held accountable, and Idaho has clean air and clean water now and for future generations.
ICL works to ensure that environmental permits, regulations, and related actions in Idaho are as protective as possible and appropriately enforced so that our environment is sustained in a natural and healthy way. We are the watchdog for the air you breathe and the water you drink, keeping you updating on news impacting Idaho’s air and water and how you can take action.
Protecting the Air You Breathe and the Water you Drink
Clean air and water are at the heart of ICL’s work. We are the only organization in Idaho that monitors and tracks every facility in the state that discharges pollution into the environment—and every Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act permit that regulates them.
ICL serves as Idaho’s independent watchdog for pollution, reviewing permits, holding polluters accountable, and pushing for stronger protections when necessary. Our conservation initiatives focus on safeguarding the waters of North Idaho and restoring the Snake River in southern Idaho. We also monitor groundwater, wastewater treatment plants, and toxic algae blooms to keep Idahoans informed about emerging threats to our water quality.
Every day, we work to ensure that Idaho’s land, water, and air remain clean, healthy, and protected for the people, wildlife, and communities that depend on them.
Ed Cannady photo.
CLEAN AIR & WATER
Protecting Idaho’s Clean Air & Water
ICL reviews every major Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act permit in Idaho to ensure that environmental protections are strong, effective, and properly enforced. When polluters violate their permits, ICL has a proven record of taking legal action to hold them accountable and bring them back into compliance. We also engage directly in Idaho’s rulemaking processes to advocate for science-based, protective environmental regulations that safeguard the health of our communities and our natural resources.
CLEAN WATER
Toxic Algae
Like many states across the country, Idaho is seeing more frequent and widespread outbreaks of toxic algae—microscopic organisms that can seriously harm people, pets, livestock, and wildlife. The most common form, cyanobacteria (often called blue-green algae), can appear in many colors, including blue, green, red, or brown. These harmful blooms occur when water becomes warm and overloaded with pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus, creating ideal conditions for uncontrolled growth. As blooms grow larger, the risk of toxic cyanobacteria increases.
Exposure to toxic algae can cause serious health problems, including damage to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Even swimming, wading, or walking near affected water can irritate the eyes, skin, and throat. Beyond the health risks, toxic algae also threaten Idaho’s outdoor way of life and local economies that depend on clean, safe lakes and rivers for recreation and tourism.
The Idaho Conservation League is working to protect people and waterways from this growing threat. We’re advocating for stronger state funding and more comprehensive monitoring of toxic algae blooms, along with better public notification and education to ensure Idahoans know when and where waters are unsafe. By improving detection, communication, and prevention, we can reduce pollution, protect public health, and keep Idaho’s waters clean and thriving for everyone.
CLEAN WATER
Wastewater Treatment Plants
Nearly every city in Idaho sits along a river or lake—that’s no coincidence. For most communities, nearby waterways are simply the most practical place to discharge treated wastewater. When you flush a toilet, that sewage doesn’t go straight into the river. It’s first processed at a wastewater treatment plant, where pollutants are reduced or removed. The treated water, known as effluent, is then released—often into a nearby lake or river—under a permit that limits how much pollution can be discharged.
So why is ICL involved? Because more than half of Idaho’s wastewater treatment plants are failing to meet the requirements of their permits—a violation of the Clean Water Act that threatens the health of our rivers, lakes, and communities. ICL works to hold facilities accountable, advocate for stronger oversight, and ensure Idaho’s waters remain clean and safe for everyone.
CLEAN WATER
Protecting Idaho’s Groundwater
The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA) holds as much water as Lake Erie and supplies drinking water to over 300,000 Idahoans, but it’s increasingly impacted by contamination that is directly attributable to human activities across the Snake River Plain. For instance, the estimated 425,00 dairy cows in the Magic Valley create as much manure as a city of 12 million people—if that city had no wastewater treatment plants. The nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer, animal waste, and other sources far exceed what typical crops can uptake, with the remainder susceptible to leaching into the groundwater. ICL’s Groundwater Report summarizes all of the available data and scientific literature so you can understand what’s going on with your drinking water.
