Industry-backed water bill proceeds to the Senate
Two clean water bills went head-to-head in the Idaho House, and the one that emerged could end up forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to write Idaho’s water law.
Two clean water bills went head-to-head in the Idaho House, and the one that emerged could end up forcing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to write Idaho’s water law.
On Thursday, the House Environment, Energy and Technology Committee passed a bill intended to help define Idaho Department of Environmental Quality responsibility in maintaining the quality of the state’s pristine waters. But it actually undercut a bill proposed by DEQ itself.
The department’s bill was introduced to the House at the end of January but never made it out of committee. The Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry countered with its own “antidegradation” bill on Feb. 11.
The industry bill moved quickly through the Republican-dominated committee and was passed on the House floor the same day.
