Idaho State Legislature
How the Idaho Conservation League lobbies the Idaho Legislature on conservation issues and policy.
ICL was founded in 1973 to be the voice for conservation in the Idaho Statehouse. We cover a range of environmental issues—like clean air, clean water and wildlife—that matter to you and families across the state.
ICL has the only full-time conservation lobbyist providing information to elected officials and helping to draft legislation. We work hard to make sure the issues that you care about are represented. You can check out the bills we worked on by using our legislative bill tracker.
The 2013 Legislative Session
- Ensure Regulations for Natural Gas Exploration—Natural gas has been discovered in Idaho, and drilling for this gas is believed to be commercially viable through a technique known as “fracking.” Unfortunately the Idaho Legislature supported a rule governing injection wells related to natural gas development. We opposed this rule because it lacks appropriate safeguards to protect groundwater and allows harmful waste to be disposed of in injection wells.
- Promote Green Energy—The least costly, least damaging energy source is the energy we already have. That means that we use existing resources more efficiently. We supported updating the commercial and residential building codes to ensure that new homes and businesses are 20% more efficient.
- Protect Idaho's Public Land—A really bad idea became reality in terms of public land. The Legislature will spend the next two years trying to figure out how to take over public lands. Not only will this be very costly for a state already underfunded, but we may lose what we all enjoy about our public lands.
- Safeguard Idaho’s Wildlife—Idaho is home to more than 1,000 species of wildlife, from grizzly bears to golden eagles. We work hard to protect or restore our wildlife so that your children and grandchildren can enjoy Idaho's wildlife heritage. We worked to ensure responsible off-road vehicle use that does not harm wildlife or the places they live.
