STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AGREE ON FORESTRY
PROGRAM TO PROTECT HABITAT

BOISE – Governor Jim Risch, Mark Limbaugh, Undersecretary of the Department of Interior and Bob Lohn, Regional Administrator of NOAA, announced today that the state, National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reached a conceptual agreement on an Idaho Forestry Program under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act.

The voluntary conservation program, adopted under the Snake River Basin Adjudication Agreement, also known as the Nez Perce Agreement, creates a standard for forestry programs on state and private land that benefits landowners and fish habitat.  The agreement will put in place incentives for landowners to follow enhanced forest management practices in the harvest of timber in the Clearwater and Salmon River basins.

“This is another great example of what the collaborative process can achieve.  The state and federal government, businesses and private landowners rolled up their sleeves and found a way to improve fish habitat while providing regulatory certainty for landowners who voluntarily participate in this program,” said Risch.  “This coordinated approach complements federal habitat protection programs on their lands and will help protect entire watersheds.”

At this time, all parties have accepted the Section 6 agreement in a conceptual form.  The agreement must undergo full environmental analysis and public comment under NEPA and agency consultation under the ESA before it is final.

“This is a great first step and I commend all of the involved parties for their work in endangered species management,” Risch said.

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