Two measures signed into law on Friday by Idaho Gov. C.L. Otter aim to ensure a continued supply of safe, clean water for residents and businesses in the state.
One bill provides $15 million in funding for water supply improvement projects. The other bill initiates a seven-year effort for the state to take primary responsibility for protecting water quality under the Clean Water Act from the EPA.
“As I told legislators in my State of the State address, actively managing our precious water resources represents a critical investment in our capacity for responsible future growth,” Otter said. “I appreciate their attention, understanding and agreement. More importantly, the people of Idaho will be well-served by these actions to protect the resource upon which our livelihoods and way of life so directly depend.”
The funding bill will support efforts to reach comprehensive aquifer management plan goals, acquire Snake River water rights, complete reservoir infrastructure projects and conduct environmental and land exchange analyses.
The other measure will begin the process to transfer permitting and enforcement of water quality rules under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System from the EPA to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
“No federal agency has a greater interest in ensuring that our water is clean and safe than do Idaho citizens,” Otter said. “I trust our own DEQ over the EPA, hands down. Besides being more directly accountable to us, DEQ has the expertise and on-the-ground knowledge to provide meaningful local control and more commonsense flexibility in writing and issuing permits, conducting annual inspections, managing the data and maintaining compliance and enforcement. Getting this work done right and in a timely manner is important to accelerating our economic growth. We’ll all be better off if we do it ourselves.”