05/16/07 Idaho projects included in WRDA

The US Senate will take up WRDA this week; that's the Water Resources Development Act which pumps money into several Idaho Army Corps of Engineer projects. Senator Mike Crapo says Dworshak Dam is one of them. CRAPO "This authorizes the construction and improvement of recreation facilities on the existing Dworshak Reservoir to allow them to operate the lower pool elevations to assist in salmon species recovery efforts and the cost there is expected to be somewhere between 3.9 million and 5.3 million." There's money for Port of Lewiston improvements and wetlands restoration. Crapo says the Little Wood River and some Snake River projects are included in WRDA. Everyone seems to agree that a bill will pass out of Congress, but in what form? CRAPO "The Senate cost of this bill is about 31 and a half billion dollars and the House cost is about 13 billion dollars. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is threatening to tie this bill to another Iraq troop benchmark proposal. CRAPO "The majority is seeking to get a couple of more votes on their hard line stand of demanding direct troop deployment and then move to some kind of compromise, hopefully it will be a compromise on benchmarks, that we can try to find a solution for." It's been seven years since Congress appropriated money for WRDA. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott