Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, has secured funding to help and Idaho community meet Clean Water Act standards and for efforts to recover sage-grouse as part of the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill.  Simpson is the Ranking Republican member on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the Department of Interior, the Forest Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The bill includes $500,000 for the City of Buhl Wastewater Systems Improvement.  The EPA and Idaho DEQ have mandated that the city build a new wastewater treatment center, and the funding would enable the city to meet Clean Water Act requirements, improving water quality for the citizens of Buhl.

“Cities like Buhl are struggling to meet federal water standards, and I believe the federal government has a responsibility to assist small communities,” Simpson said.  “Earlier this year, I was able to meet with community leaders and residents in Buhl to discuss the huge burden they face in providing clean water for their citizens. I am pleased the funding included in this bill will help them meet their needs.”

The legislation also includes $500,000 for the Idaho Sage-Grouse Management Plan.  The Department of Fish and Wildlife is expected to make a decision on whether to list the sage-grouse as an endangered species later this year.  Idaho is taking proactive steps to recover this species before a listing is required.  Funding will be used to continue implementing a management plan to help state and federal agencies partner with landowners to protect sage-grouse habitat.

“Voluntary partnerships encourage Idahoans to be wise stewards of our nation’s wildlife without threatening their livelihood and way of life,” Simpson said.  “Efforts to recover threatened species have been much more successful when landowners participate willingly.  The purpose of recognizing a species as threatened is to recover it, not to use the law to push users off the land, and I believe the Idaho Sage-Grouse Management Plan helps us find a win for both sage-grouse and those who earn their livelihoods from the land.”

The bill also includes funding for wildfire management, including $357 million for the President’s new contingency fund, which could be tapped into by land management agencies if suppression costs exceed the budget for the year.  The Forest Service is currently forced to rob its other budgets to meet suppression needs during a severe fire season.

The bill also includes funding for the following Idaho projects:

$1,200,000 for trail construction and maintenance in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area;
$400,000 to acquire property for a bike trail in the SNRA;
$150,000 for state stabilization of the Old Idaho State Penitentiary.
The Interior and Environment Appropriations bill is now headed to the full House of Representatives for consideration where approval is expected in the next few weeks.