11/15/06 Owyhee, CIEDRA going nowhere?

Senator Mike Crapo is trying to get his Owyhee Initiative legislation passed by this session of Congress. Congressman Mike Simpson is hoping for the same on his CIEDRA legislation, the bill that would protect the Boulder-White Clouds. So what are the chances of either or both getting to the President's desk by year end? The question is answered with a question by Senator Larry Craig. CRAIG "Are the Democrats going to allow us to move any major policy issues like CIEDRA, like the Owyhee Initiative until the new Congress when they're in power and they're being lobbied very heavily right now by some of our national environmental groups to allow nothing like this to move." Craig as a member of the Natural Resources and Appropriations Committee can have a big influence on Crapo and Simpson's bills. He hasn't given his support to either bill which he says have problems. CRAIG "You know there are some changes that are going to be necessary for the bills to pass and that's a product of good hearings." Simpson's bill has cleared the House; Crapo's legislation hasn't been up for a floor vote in either chamber. Several Idaho environmental groups say the legislation before Congress today is what they agreed to and they'd prefer that option to new bills that could be proposed under Democratic leadership. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott