IPPC MARCH MEETING NOTES
March 15, 2017 IP EMS Building 6 p.m.
In attendance, Ken Watts, chairman, Ann Anthony, IP News, Alynn Crapo, IPPC website, Trent Yancey, Fall River Electric, Kathy Rinaldi, GYC, Ellen and Bob Stantus, facilitation and IP Snowmobile Club, Joe Sielinsky, IP Sustainable Fire Community, Leanne Yancey, IPPC research, and Dave Moore, IP Community and medical board?
Distinguished guests FC Commissioners Miller and Stoddard and Senator Crapo’s staff : John Hoehne, Mitch Silvers, and Kathryn Hitch.
February meeting notes were approved.
Financial report- as of 2-28-17 IPPC balance $3976.19
The $20 yearly website renewal fee was reported and Alynn Crapo paid this fee and has donated her payment for the benefit of the coalition. No bills were submitted.
Current events discussed:
BLM 2.0 has been overturned by the US Senate.
CWC – is ambitious, toward infrastructure, reducing the role of the federal government in public land management.
Repeal and replace the Antiquities Act-which the Idaho delegation is very involved with.
There are some good things happening legislatively for Western states with a Western States Caucus formed.
Bob expressed thoughts and concerns about the future of ORV funds, grants, recognizing the needs of the USFS to hire more personnel, for trail maintenance, the reality of USFS cutbacks and the limited funds in counties. Also discussed the great drain that wildfire fighting has to USFS budget (52-54% annually) and new managing policy is needed to help prevent and reduce wildfire potential. Congress estimated that between 300 and 400 million could be used for other restoration and management projects if fire fighting did not require these monies or if wildfire funding could be achieved differently.
Other factors stressing funding and policy changes are environmental groups litigating against forest management efforts (logging and thinning). Conflicting ideas must follow NEPA.
John Hoehne spoke to the difference in the political climate since the past presidential and congressional election. He described the mood as optimistic and much more positive concerning western states public lands concerns and also the future of the Antiquities Act. “We are optimistic”, he stated and, “this is a reality that we have not had for the last three presidential administrations”.
Also, problems you see at the national, state and local levels are mainly due to their fiscal impact on budgets, for instance, firefighting as we were discussing it. If it were possible for some of the firefighting costs to switch to FEMA coordinating with USFS it could drastically improve the process but the dilemma is you have shifted the numbers from one place to another but can congress really say they have saved any money when dealing with the overall budget.
Many are looking at how we can reduce the chance of catastrophic fire on or forests, we need to reform NEPA, do better forest maintenance, perhaps shift responsibilities among agencies to streamline and better manage. There is a lot for congress to consider and the Dept. of Ag has just been given a new administrator Sonny Purdue, lets see what he can do.
Kathy mentioned that as the IP Safe Wildlife Passage is a current issue being considered in IP that she would approach Bill Shaw from Idaho Transportation Department to see if he would do a presentation for the IPPC.
Ken will also try to schedule Bryce Fowler to speak to us about the zebra mussel invasive species issue in FC.
As our meetings have been conflicting with the Fremont County Farm Bureau meeting, we will change our next meeting date to be able to have our FB representatives at our meeting. Thursday April 20th will be our next meeting.
Mitch Silvers spoke to the invasive species issue:
HB 256- create an administrator over invasive species
S 1068 –companion bill Under the Dept. of Ag
HJM#4 encouraging a coordinated approach to the process
During the last Congress 4 million was set aside for invasive species but the Army Corp of Engineers needs to get some things done in their agency before that money can be released to the states for their use.
He encouraged us to all go to and use the legislative page to see all updates. He thanked the Fremont County commissioners for their letter on the subject, the articles in the IP News, and stated that there is legislation to increase funding for this concern by $700,000.00.
The zebra mussel is a very prolific species with the potential to devastate our rivers and lakes and regionally they are raising concern about this invasive species making it to the Colombia River.
Moving to our Agenda topic “Moving our Legislation Forward”:
2-27-17 was our last version
It contains nothing about invasive species….should it?
Bob made the point that perhaps our legislation should not be so specific?
Ken said there is also a next step consideration that we need to be thinking about a letter of transmittal:
an IPPC product
possibly co-signed by other key constituencies
the governors office
FC republican Party
FC Farm Bureau
Fall River REC
Fremont Madison Irrigation District
Cities of FC
GYC and other NGOs
Ken will have a draft review for our next meeting. Federal agencies cannot be involved.
A discussion followed as to the steps, the ways and means, and the difficulty of the legislative process. Key definitions:
Rider-is not germane to an un-related bill
Amendment- is germane to other like legislation
Omni-bus bill-several related bills are joined
*What has the concept of our legislation become?
*Has it included everyone and has it negotiated competing ideas?
*It is important for us to remember that at a national level, organizations that support your bill will help you by becoming advocates for it, make sure that you are inclusive, keep in close contact with key stakeholders and key legislative staffers.
Successful legislation is realized when you are engaged in a cause that is right.
*focus on prime objectives
*don’t dilute your key points
*look to other legislations like your own that were successful
*look to the future and try to anticipate long term needs and issues
*an advisory group to help FC commissioners analyze and identify is very important
*consider the issues that are not going to go away, have we addressed them and considered subsequent threats…look to create legislation that lasts well beyond the 4 or 8 year cycles of politics and administrative and congressional change.
Look to creation of a FC Advisory board
*numbers of members, how many and how are they selected?
*find the best starting point
*a matrix design was suggested
*true area stakeholders must be a criteria
*knowledge experts would not be voting members
*do we need more outreach? Do we need to bring in more interests?
*knowledge expert presentations are very valuable for many reasons
*need city representatives?
*FC commissioners would consider advisory board membership, fill vacancies, and identify areas where they would like the advisory board to help vet and identify issues.
*FC commissioners and group discussed the Custer County model
*in our county there are many reasons for concerns that an advisory board can help FCC with
Kathy agreed to send Ken some examples of governance models.
Bob suggested we also look to the FCC grooming advisory board model
Following our completion of the legislation we wish to put forward, we are looking to advance our IPPC working group toward a FC advisory group role with the support of the FC commissioners.
Discussions were begun on how that structure and meeting schedule might look and the role of the IP News perhaps adding a regular update column in the paper.
Thank you everyone. We hope more can attend the next meeting.
Thank you Commissioners Miller and Stoddard.
A special thank you to Senator Crapo’s staff for attending.
Meeting adjourned by Ken Watts at 8 PM.
March 15, 2017 IP EMS Building 6 p.m.
In attendance, Ken Watts, chairman, Ann Anthony, IP News, Alynn Crapo, IPPC website, Trent Yancey, Fall River Electric, Kathy Rinaldi, GYC, Ellen and Bob Stantus, facilitation and IP Snowmobile Club, Joe Sielinsky, IP Sustainable Fire Community, Leanne Yancey, IPPC research, and Dave Moore, IP Community and medical board?
Distinguished guests FC Commissioners Miller and Stoddard and Senator Crapo’s staff : John Hoehne, Mitch Silvers, and Kathryn Hitch.
February meeting notes were approved.
Financial report- as of 2-28-17 IPPC balance $3976.19
The $20 yearly website renewal fee was reported and Alynn Crapo paid this fee and has donated her payment for the benefit of the coalition. No bills were submitted.
Current events discussed:
BLM 2.0 has been overturned by the US Senate.
CWC – is ambitious, toward infrastructure, reducing the role of the federal government in public land management.
Repeal and replace the Antiquities Act-which the Idaho delegation is very involved with.
There are some good things happening legislatively for Western states with a Western States Caucus formed.
Bob expressed thoughts and concerns about the future of ORV funds, grants, recognizing the needs of the USFS to hire more personnel, for trail maintenance, the reality of USFS cutbacks and the limited funds in counties. Also discussed the great drain that wildfire fighting has to USFS budget (52-54% annually) and new managing policy is needed to help prevent and reduce wildfire potential. Congress estimated that between 300 and 400 million could be used for other restoration and management projects if fire fighting did not require these monies or if wildfire funding could be achieved differently.
Other factors stressing funding and policy changes are environmental groups litigating against forest management efforts (logging and thinning). Conflicting ideas must follow NEPA.
John Hoehne spoke to the difference in the political climate since the past presidential and congressional election. He described the mood as optimistic and much more positive concerning western states public lands concerns and also the future of the Antiquities Act. “We are optimistic”, he stated and, “this is a reality that we have not had for the last three presidential administrations”.
Also, problems you see at the national, state and local levels are mainly due to their fiscal impact on budgets, for instance, firefighting as we were discussing it. If it were possible for some of the firefighting costs to switch to FEMA coordinating with USFS it could drastically improve the process but the dilemma is you have shifted the numbers from one place to another but can congress really say they have saved any money when dealing with the overall budget.
Many are looking at how we can reduce the chance of catastrophic fire on or forests, we need to reform NEPA, do better forest maintenance, perhaps shift responsibilities among agencies to streamline and better manage. There is a lot for congress to consider and the Dept. of Ag has just been given a new administrator Sonny Purdue, lets see what he can do.
Kathy mentioned that as the IP Safe Wildlife Passage is a current issue being considered in IP that she would approach Bill Shaw from Idaho Transportation Department to see if he would do a presentation for the IPPC.
Ken will also try to schedule Bryce Fowler to speak to us about the zebra mussel invasive species issue in FC.
As our meetings have been conflicting with the Fremont County Farm Bureau meeting, we will change our next meeting date to be able to have our FB representatives at our meeting. Thursday April 20th will be our next meeting.
Mitch Silvers spoke to the invasive species issue:
HB 256- create an administrator over invasive species
S 1068 –companion bill Under the Dept. of Ag
HJM#4 encouraging a coordinated approach to the process
During the last Congress 4 million was set aside for invasive species but the Army Corp of Engineers needs to get some things done in their agency before that money can be released to the states for their use.
He encouraged us to all go to and use the legislative page to see all updates. He thanked the Fremont County commissioners for their letter on the subject, the articles in the IP News, and stated that there is legislation to increase funding for this concern by $700,000.00.
The zebra mussel is a very prolific species with the potential to devastate our rivers and lakes and regionally they are raising concern about this invasive species making it to the Colombia River.
Moving to our Agenda topic “Moving our Legislation Forward”:
2-27-17 was our last version
It contains nothing about invasive species….should it?
Bob made the point that perhaps our legislation should not be so specific?
Ken said there is also a next step consideration that we need to be thinking about a letter of transmittal:
an IPPC product
possibly co-signed by other key constituencies
the governors office
FC republican Party
FC Farm Bureau
Fall River REC
Fremont Madison Irrigation District
Cities of FC
GYC and other NGOs
Ken will have a draft review for our next meeting. Federal agencies cannot be involved.
A discussion followed as to the steps, the ways and means, and the difficulty of the legislative process. Key definitions:
Rider-is not germane to an un-related bill
Amendment- is germane to other like legislation
Omni-bus bill-several related bills are joined
*What has the concept of our legislation become?
*Has it included everyone and has it negotiated competing ideas?
*It is important for us to remember that at a national level, organizations that support your bill will help you by becoming advocates for it, make sure that you are inclusive, keep in close contact with key stakeholders and key legislative staffers.
Successful legislation is realized when you are engaged in a cause that is right.
*focus on prime objectives
*don’t dilute your key points
*look to other legislations like your own that were successful
*look to the future and try to anticipate long term needs and issues
*an advisory group to help FC commissioners analyze and identify is very important
*consider the issues that are not going to go away, have we addressed them and considered subsequent threats…look to create legislation that lasts well beyond the 4 or 8 year cycles of politics and administrative and congressional change.
Look to creation of a FC Advisory board
*numbers of members, how many and how are they selected?
*find the best starting point
*a matrix design was suggested
*true area stakeholders must be a criteria
*knowledge experts would not be voting members
*do we need more outreach? Do we need to bring in more interests?
*knowledge expert presentations are very valuable for many reasons
*need city representatives?
*FC commissioners would consider advisory board membership, fill vacancies, and identify areas where they would like the advisory board to help vet and identify issues.
*FC commissioners and group discussed the Custer County model
*in our county there are many reasons for concerns that an advisory board can help FCC with
Kathy agreed to send Ken some examples of governance models.
Bob suggested we also look to the FCC grooming advisory board model
Following our completion of the legislation we wish to put forward, we are looking to advance our IPPC working group toward a FC advisory group role with the support of the FC commissioners.
Discussions were begun on how that structure and meeting schedule might look and the role of the IP News perhaps adding a regular update column in the paper.
Thank you everyone. We hope more can attend the next meeting.
Thank you Commissioners Miller and Stoddard.
A special thank you to Senator Crapo’s staff for attending.
Meeting adjourned by Ken Watts at 8 PM.
