05/14/08 It's a hurdle, not a roadblock

Senator Mike Crapo was elated when his Owyhee Initiative cleared a Senate committee. Now he's working to get that legislation through the Senate and House and eventually to the President for his signature. Crapo says there's talk of combining his bill with legislation that he opposes. CRAPO "The issue is related to a bill introduced by Craig Thomas a former Senator from Wyoming before he passed away and picked up by his successor John Barrasso and it designates about 387 miles of the Snake River and its tributaries in Wyoming as Wild and Scenic River." A number of Idaho irrigators who use that water are concerned that that designation may undercut their strength of their prior water right. Crapo says that means a legislative package of bills containing one that he supports and one that he opposes. That's why he's gone to Senator Barrasso to seek some kind of resolution. CRAPO "It is not his intent to undercut or in anyway diminish the rights of Idaho water users in the management of the water as it flows out of Jackson Reservoir and he has made that clear." Asked when a Senate floor vote on his Owyhee Initiative might take place Crapo said anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months from now. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott