03/07/07 Reintroducing the Owyhee Initiative

Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will today reintroduce his Owyhee Initiative legislation in Congress. It's almost identical to the bill he introduced late in the last Congressional session. CRAPO "There will be changes made as the bill moves through the legislative process so I wanted to make that clear because we want to let those who are going to engage on the bill now know that we are prepared and ready to engage and work with them to find workable solutions." The Owyhee Initiative, already six years in the making, would provide ranchers with 15 million dollars and federal land in exchange for 26 hundred acres of private property and grazing rights on 54 thousand acres. CRAPO "This legislation will designate 517 thousand acres of public land as the Owyhee Bruneau Wilderness. It will release 199 thousand acres of wilderness study areas and designate 384 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers." The bill did not get out of the Senate in the last session because of time limitations but Crapo believes it will be approved this time by the Democratic controlled Senate and House. CRAPO " I think that we will face questions, very strong questions from both parties and from the interest groups that support them but we will be able to answer those questions because we have the support of those interest groups in terms of putting this bill together." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott