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Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Amid federal cuts, U.S. Forest Service cuts office hours at Sawtooth field offices in Idaho
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area is home to more than 300 high-elevation mountain lakes, including this unnamed lake at the base of Thompson Peak. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) Following a series of cuts pushed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, the U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that it is cutting back hours at several Sawtooth National Forest field offices. As part of the announcement, U.S. Forest Service officials said they are temporarily closing the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, or SNRA, offices in Ketchum and Stanley – effective immediately – until June 16. 'The SNRA is one of the crown jewels of the national forest system and one of the crown jewels of Idaho,' Josh Johnson, central Idaho director for the Idaho Conservation League, said in a phone interview Friday. 'To not have Forest Service staff available to support visitors, help them find out where they need to go, answer questions and respond to other issues is a problem and unfortunate.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'You can't expect to eliminate as much forest service staff as you have and still provide essential services people are used to seeing in places like the SNRA,' Johnson added. Forest Service officials made the announcement in a press release Friday afternoon, just hours before the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend that signals the unofficial beginning of the summer camping and recreation season in Idaho. 'The announcement comes as forest leadership works to provide the best service possible with the staffing and resources we have,' U.S. Forest Service officials said in Friday's news release. Since he took office in January, Trump and his ally Musk have pushed for deep budget cuts and firing thousands of federal workers through the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. U.S. Forest Service workers have been among those fired, and in February, former U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore resigned amid the cuts, WyoFile reported. CONTACT US Scaling back Sawtooth National Forest Service office hours could have widespread effects in Idaho – a state where more than 60% of the land is public land and recreation use and activities is at historic high levels. 'The bottom line is that the current administration's efforts to save money and increase efficiencies has led to serious inefficiencies on the ground,' John Robison, public lands and wildlife director for the Idaho Conservation League, said Friday. 'The administration's understaffing the SNRA to the point they will only be open three days a week is a significant disservice for all of us who love the SNRA.' In a Friday's press release, Forest Service officials said visitors who need help when the offices are closed will have to call and leave a message. 'Stakeholders requiring assistance from these offices outside of the listed hours should call and leave phone messages at the office from which they require services,' Forest Service officials said in Friday's press release. 'Forest staff in these offices will follow-up on all calls and messages at their earliest convenience.' Acting Sawtooth National Forest Supervisor Shawn Robnett said the staff members the agency does have are trying to find the best way to do their jobs. 'Adjusting our office hours as we enter our busiest season allows our rangers some flexibility with their available staff to continue to carry out all aspects of our mission – caring for the land while serving people,' Robnett said in a written statement. 'Ensuring our employees are still out in the field accomplishing their work also affords our employees the opportunity to meet stakeholders where they are – out on the forest.' Efforts to reach a Sawtooth National Forest public affairs officer for follow up information were unsuccessful Friday. The following field office hours are in place effective immediately. Fairfield Ranger District: Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays. Minidoka Ranger District: Open 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesday, and Thursdays. Sawtooth National Recreation Area offices in Ketchum and Stanley: Temporarily closed until June 16. Both offices are scheduled to reopen three days a week from June 16 to Labor Day. Once the office hours for reopening the Stanley and Ketchum field offices are available, they will be posted online, officials said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Idaho legislative committee aims to identify barriers – and solutions
The Idaho Legislatures Land Use and Housing Study Committee conducts its first meeting May 14 at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Legislature's Interim Land Use and Housing Study Committee began discussing housing inventory, prices, building codes, permitting and zoning at its first meeting held Wednesday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise, pushed for the creation of the housing study committee during the recent 2025 legislative session by co-sponsoring Senate Concurrent Resolution 103. 'Housing is one of the most important topics Idahoans across the state recognized as something they want to see addressed,' Rabe said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The purpose of the committee is to undertake a study of state and local land use regulations and how they impact the housing supply. In addition to the study, the committee can make recommendations to the Idaho Legislature during the 2026 legislative session. Committee members did not make any recommendations on Wednesday. Instead, members received briefings on affordable housing issues in the Gem State. The committee identified some of the barriers and problems, including high costs of mortgages and rent, a low inventory of housing that doesn't meet demand, vacation homes and short-term rentals, infrastructure needs like water and sewer, emergency services and more. CONTACT US Committee may discuss economic incentives, zoning changes or streamlining permits as potential solutions to Idaho's housing affordability crisis [/subhed] Without affordable housing available, more Idahoans are living on public lands, living in unsafe spaces that aren't designed to be homes or moving elsewhere, housing and development experts told the committee Wednesday. Without getting into specific proposals, committee members began discussing potential solutions to discuss at future meetings, including economic and tax incentives, streamlining approval and permitting processes, zoning or density changes, infrastructure upgrades and the potential use of a local option tax or resort tax to incentivize housing construction. After adjourning Wednesday, the housing study committee plans to meet three more times around the state before the 2026 legislative session begins in January. Future meeting dates include June 27 in Idaho Falls, Aug. 14 in Sandpoint and Sept. 26 in Boise. Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, committee co-chair Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d'Alene, co-chair Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d'Alene Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston Rep. Todd Achilles, D-Boise Ad hoc (non legislative) members of the Land Use and Housing Study Committee Jason Blais, City of Boise Bobbi Jo Meuleman, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce Ken Burgess, Idaho Home N=Builders Association Max Pond, Idaho REALTORS Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick, Association of Idaho Cities Caleb Roope, Pacific Co. Andy Erstad, American Institute of Architects Sean Schupack, Idaho Association of General Contractors Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm Jonathan Spendlove, American Planning Association Jerri Henry, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Valley County Commissioner Sherry Maupin, Idaho Association of Counties SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Idaho Conservation League seeks wilderness steward volunteers
First protected in 1937 as a "Primitive Area," the rugged Sawtooth Wilderness was officially created by Congress in 1972, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The wilderness features hundreds of jagged peaks – 50 over 10,000 feet in height – and nearly 400 high alpine lakes dotting the predominantly rocky terrain. Also hidden within its boundaries are deep, secluded valleys covered with enormous stands of trees, the Forest Service website says. (Photo by Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Conservation League is asking for volunteers to join its Wilderness Stewards Program to protect and enhance wilderness areas in Central Idaho. After completing training, volunteer wilderness stewards will conduct patrols where they remove waste, clear illegal fire rings, naturalize backcountry campsites and collect data about trail use, according to a press release issued earlier this month by the Idaho Conservation League. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'As land management agencies governing these wilderness areas have seen — and expect to continue to see — dramatic shifts in capacity so far this year, a stable, consistent base of volunteers to look after our Central Idaho trails is key to keeping these shared spaces maintained,' Idaho Conservation League officials said in a written statement. 'If you spend some of your summer recreating in Central Idaho's beautiful wilderness areas and are concerned about the use, accessibility, and wildness of these spectacular places, this program is for you.' Applications for the Wilderness Stewards program are available online and are due by May 2. New wilderness stewards volunteers are required to complete training June 7 at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters in Ketchum. After they are accepted into the program, wilderness stewards will be asked to complete four patrols between June and September. CONTACT US Wilderness stewards patrol the Sawtooth Wilderness, Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness, Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness, Craters of the Moon National Monument, Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness and recommended wilderness areas in the Sawtooth and Salmon-Challis national forests. The Wilderness Stewards Program began in 2016. Since the program launched, wilderness stewards have packed 200 pounds of trash out of Idaho wilderness areas, cleared or naturalized 761 illegal fire rings and removed 182 human waste issues, according to the Idaho Conservation League. Wilderness stewards also share Leave No Trace principles with other trail users they meet. Since 2016, wilderness stewards have engaged with 120,775 other trail users, the Idaho Conservation League reported. Founded in 1973, the Idaho Conservation League is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with offices in Boise, Sandpoint, Ketchum and McCall that works to protect air, water, land and wildlife. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Idaho legislators set aside $9.6M more for ITD Boise campus repairs, but more funding will be needed
Extensive damage is visible during a Dec. 19, 2024 visit to the Idaho Transportation Department's former Boise headquarters. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Legislature's powerful budget committee set aside another $9.6 million in state funding Tuesday to renovate the Idaho Transportation Department's flood-damaged and mold-infested former Boise headquarters. The $9.6 million from Tuesday is on top of the $32.5 million Idaho legislators set aside last year to renovate the property located at 3311 W. State St. in Boise. That brings the total to $42.1 million. However, that funding level still falls more than $22 million short of the state's $64 million to $69.4 million estimates to renovate the damaged building. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Soñia Galaviz, a Boise Democrat, made the motion to approve the Idaho Transportation Department's fiscal year 2026 budget enhancements that included the new funding for renovations. The decision came during the Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, meeting at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. JFAC is a powerful committee that sets every budget for every state agency and department. The $9.6 million for renovating ITD's former Boise headquarters came from zeroing out a $9.6 million request for the Idaho Transportation Department to relocate its District 4 headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls. In an interview Tuesday, Galaviz said the new funding can pay to clean up some contamination that will need to be addressed before the real renovations can begin. 'We had heard that there were some abatement issues, some asbestos and other hazardous materials, that if they had this money they could get started on them because that has to happen before any of the remodels can,' Galaviz said. 'So we were hoping that this would allow them to get moving.' Galaviz and Rep. Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, told the Sun that funding and renovating the State Street property will require a multiyear effort. They expect to come back next year and consider a request for additional funding. 'This gets them started, then when they get into it they will know what to ask for,' Furniss said. The Idaho Transportation Department's former Boise headquarters was built in 1961. On Jan. 2, 2022, the building flooded and was contaminated with asbestos. It has been vacant since 2022. During a tour of the damaged building in December, state employees pointed out mold to a reporter with the Idaho Capital Sun. The elevators and fire suppression systems do not work. Electrical systems and wiring dangle from ceilings. Walls and ceilings show visible signs of water damage, including dozens of holes that crews drilled into walls in an attempt to let water escape. The interior of the building is filled with tangled wire and ruble. The heat and power only work in parts of the building. The summer after the flood, in August 2022, the Idaho Transportation Department's board declared the former Boise headquarters and the 44-acre campus it sits on 'surplus property.' That opened the door for the state to sell the property after other state agencies did not express an interest in the property. The state put the State Street campus up for auction, and a group of buyers including Hawkins Companies, FJ Management and Pacific West Communities submitted the high bid of $51.7 million, according to documents provided to the Sun by the would-be buyers. CONTACT US During a tour of the campus in November 2023, Idaho Department of Administration Director Steve Bailey told the Joint FInance-Appropriations Committee that the state sold the property to Hawkins and its partners for $51.7 million, the Sun reported at the time. But on March 1, 2024, JFAC blocked the $51.7 million sale of the property, told the state to keep the property and set aside $32.5 million to renovate it. At the time, legislators said they thought it was more financially responsible to keep the building and renovate it. '…(E)verything I have heard is any time the state has sold some property, two or three years later they go, 'well, we shouldn't have done that' and they've actually tried to buy some of it back,' Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, said at the time. The $32.5 million JFAC set aside last year for renovations was a rudimentary, sight unseen estimate prepared by the Idaho Division of Public Works that did not take into account the extent of the flood damage and HVAC repairs, the Sun previously reported. Then, in December 2024, the Idaho Department of Transportation released a 207-page report that estimated it would cost between $64 million and $69.4 million to repair the former Boise headquarters. On Tuesday, Galaviz said she knew the new funding isn't enough to repair the building, but she hopes the new funding at least gets the project moving. 'Because they have to do the abatement first before they can do anything else with the remodel,' Galaviz said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Conservation groups file lawsuit challenging approval of Central Idaho's Stibnite Gold Mine
An overhead view of the abandoned Yellow Pine Pit at the Stibnite Mine, which Perpetua Resources hopes to resume mining in. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) Several conservation groups filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service in U.S. District Court on Tuesday challenging the recent approval of a gold mine located adjacent to the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in Central Idaho. In early January, the U.S. Forest Service issued a final record of decision approving the Stibnite Gold Project. A company called Perpetua Resources – formerly known as Midas Gold – has plans to resume mining for gold, silver and a chemical element called antimony at the Stibnite Gold Mine, which is located in Valley County near the tiny town of Yellow Pine. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Mining at the site dates to the late 1800s, and metal mined at Stibnite contributed to the World War II effort. But after all mining ceased by the 1990s, the mine's former owners abandoned the open pit mine, polluting the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River with arsenic and sediment. Conservationists said the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River is an important habitat for endangered salmon, and the nearby Frank Church Wilderness is home to many plant and animal species, including wolverines, bears, beavers, wolves and endangered salmon. Perpetua Resources has pledged to clean up some of the legacy pollution as it resumes mining for gold, silver and antimony. Conservation groups argue that the new mining plans call for disturbing an even greater area of land than the previous owners of Stibnite, which they argue could do immeasurable harm to public lands and important fish and wildlife habitat. This week's lawsuit alleges that when the U.S. Forest Service issued its approval, it failed to consider the project's negative environmental impacts or properly consider alternatives. 'Permitting this level of destruction not only threatens a culturally important area and cherished public lands, it fails to comply with the law,' Bryan Hurlbutt, a staff attorney at Advocates for the West, said in a written statement Tuesday. 'By prioritizing mining and giving Perpetua Resources everything they asked for, the Forest Service violated its duties to protect fish and wildlife, and ensure clean water and air.' Officials with Perpetua Resources disagree with the lawsuit, saying they followed all the legal processes throughout the permitting, application and approval process. CONTACT US 'The Stibnite Gold Project has undergone a rigorous, science-based environmental review over the course of eight years, and we are confident in the U.S. Forest Service's ability to defend its Record of Decision,' Perpetua Resources wrote in a written statement shared with the Idaho Capital Sun on Wednesday. 'While legal challenges to mining projects are commonplace, it is important to ensure the process remains rooted in science and the rule of law.' Officials with Perpetua say that the mine represents a rare domestic source of the element antimony, which they said can be refined and used in ammunition and batteries for electric vehicles. 'The Stibnite Gold Project is critical to our national security and is poised to provide hundreds of family-wage jobs, restore habitat, reconnect fish to their native spawning grounds, clean up legacy contamination, improve water quality and establish the only domestically mined source of antimony,' Perpetua Resources said. 'The project offers the abandoned mine site the only viable path to near-term cleanup. These benefits are too important to be unnecessarily delayed, especially after eight years of permitting and project improvements. We are hopeful this challenge will be swiftly resolved, making the Stibnite Gold Project a reality.' However, conservation groups say the proximity to wilderness and critical habitat is no place to resume mining and expand Stibnite into one of the largest gold mines in the United States. 'The impacts to the South Fork Salmon River watershed, threatened fish and wildlife, public access, clean air, clean water and world class recreation from the Stibnite Gold Project are simply unacceptable,' John Robison, public lands and wildlife director for the Idaho Conservation League, said in a written statement. 'Given the recent layoffs at the Payette National Forest, we are concerned about the Forest Service's ability to manage this high-risk project in addition to all their other responsibilities.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
