03/09/07 North Idaho meetings; Craig funding

The directors of the Idaho departments of Agriculture and Environmental Quality will hold two North Idaho public meetings next Tuesday in response to the field burning ban. Ag Director Celia Gould and DEQ's Toni Hardesty said last month that no crop-residue burning permits will be issued by the state this year because of a recent federal appeals court decision. Open to the public the Tuesday meetings are at 9 am in Coeur d'Alene and 2pm in Lewiston. Growers outside Indian reservations who burn could be sued for violating the federal Clean Air Act and could face enforcement under state law. Senator Larry Craig has introduced a bill in Congress to extend for one year the funding for the so-called Craig Wyden bill. CRAIG "I think it is important that we do that to show our colleagues how important this issue is to all of the school districts in all of the states that are involved in receiving the benefit of the Craig-Wyden funding." For the past six years the Craig-Wyden act has provided payments to timber dependent counties and schools. Now, in trying to reauthorize the bill, Craig and Oregon's Ron Wyden can't agree on all aspects and have introduced two different bills. Craig says the one year extension keeps the money flowing while the Senate debate goes on. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott