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HJM011........................................by RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION WOLVES - Stating findings of the Legislature and urging that the U.S. Forest Service enter a decision as soon as possible granting a special use permit allowing the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to land helicopters in the wilderness areas for the purpose of monitoring gray wolves in those areas, which is essential for the state of Idaho to fulfill its obligations under the Idaho Wolf Recovery Plan of 2002, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10j rule of 2005, as well as requirements imposed by the Endangered Species Act. 02/02 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing 02/03 Rpt prt - to 2nd rdg 02/06 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg 02/08 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - 67-2-1 AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bastian, Bayer, Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Brackett, Cannon, Chadderdon, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth, Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart, Harwood, Henbest, Henderson, Jaquet, Kemp, Lake, Loertscher, Martinez, Mathews, McGeachin, McKague, Miller, Mitchell, Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould, Ring, Roberts, Rusche, Rydalch, Sali, Sayler, Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley, Skippen, Smith(30), Smith(24), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Trail, Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker NAYS -- LeFavour, Ringo Absent and excused -- Bradford Floor Sponsor - Andrus Title apvd - To Senate 02/09 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Res/Env 02/20 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord 02/21 10th Ord - ADOPTED - voice vote Floor Sponsor - Brandt Title apvd - to House 02/22 To enrol 02/23 Rpt enrol - Sp signed 02/24 Pres signed 02/27 To Secretary of State
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]] Fifty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2006IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 11 BY RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE 1 A JOINT MEMORIAL 2 TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS 3 ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF 4 IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. 5 We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 6 State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-eighth 7 Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that: 8 WHEREAS, it is essential for the state of Idaho to monitor gray wolves and 9 fulfill its obligations under the Wolf Recovery Plan approved by the Idaho 10 Legislature in 2002, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10j rule of 2005, as 11 well as maintain minimum counts as required by the Endangered Species Act, 12 which also requires, prior to de-listing wolves, that the state have adequate 13 regulatory mechanisms in place and recovery goals achieved; and 14 WHEREAS, because the state formally took over wolf management responsibil- 15 ities on January 5, 2006, and due to the fact that the wolf population is now 16 estimated in excess of 500 in 36 breeding pairs distributed across the state, 17 it is critical for the state to gain a better understanding of pack activity 18 and their use of the wilderness; and 19 WHEREAS, over the last decade, backpacking, horse packing, and using steel 20 foothold traps in monitoring efforts have proven largely unsuccessful in 21 collaring wolves in the wilderness and the Department of Fish and Game wants 22 to employ other techniques for obtaining information about wolves; and 23 WHEREAS, it is estimated that there are a minimum of eight packs of gray 24 wolves currently using the wilderness areas that do not have radio monitoring 25 collars, and radio telemetry is important to determine pack size, breeding 26 success, rendezvous and denning sites as well as pack territory; and 27 WHEREAS, in early 2005, the state of Idaho requested permission from the 28 U.S. Forest Service to allow the Department of Fish and Game to land helicop- 29 ters in federally protected wilderness areas during the winter months when 30 wilderness use is minimal, snow typically protects any underlying vegetation 31 from damage during landings, and concentration of wolves is optimal for the 32 purpose of monitoring in those areas; and 33 WHEREAS, if granted permission to land helicopters, the state of Idaho 34 proposed collaring up to 16 gray wolves and this research activity would sup- 35 port Idaho's wolf recovery plan by providing information on wolf demographics 36 and behavior, movement patterns, and activity sites within the wilderness; and 37 WHEREAS, use of aircraft, including helicopters, in wilderness areas is 38 permitted only at established airstrips, or as minimally necessary for the 39 administration of the area as a wilderness and this determination must be made 40 by the U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester for the area through issuance of 41 a special use permit; and 42 WHEREAS, the state worked with the U.S. Forest Service in completing a 43 minimum requirements analysis that indicated that the use of a helicopter 44 would be the minimum tool to accomplish the project objectives in comparison 2 1 with the use of trappers traveling into the wilderness using established land- 2 ing strips, by foot or by horseback during the summer months and locating, 3 luring and trapping wolves via leg hold traps, a method that is less success- 4 ful, requires significantly more time, and has a greater potential for damage 5 to captured wolves; and 6 WHEREAS, on December 4, 2005, the Regional Forester published a Scoping 7 Notice, consisting of a two-page summary of the proposal and the minimum 8 requirements analysis, seeking public comment and, although expected to make a 9 decision on January 10, 2006, the U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester has 10 now delayed decision pending further analysis of public comments and issues 11 related to the request; and 12 WHEREAS, this delay significantly hinders Idaho's efforts at monitoring 13 during a time of year when wolves are easier to find, potentially forcing the 14 state to deploy field efforts during the summer months when there is higher 15 human use of the wilderness areas and catching wolves will be more intrusive. 16 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses- 17 sion of the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and 18 the Senate concurring therein, urging that the U.S. Forest Service enter a 19 decision as soon as possible granting a special use permit allowing the Idaho 20 Department of Fish and Game to land helicopters in wilderness areas as 21 requested for the purpose of monitoring gray wolves in those areas which is 22 essential for the state of Idaho to fulfill its obligations under the Idaho 23 Wolf Recovery Plan of 2002, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10j rule of 24 2005, as well as requirements imposed by the Endangered Species Act. 25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the House of Representa- 26 tives be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this 27 Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Repre- 28 sentatives of Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the 29 State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE RS 15787 A Memorial to Congress and to the Idaho Congressional Delegation requesting that they urge the U.S. Forest Service to enter a decision as soon as possible granting a special use permit allowing the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to land helicopters in wilderness areas as requested for the purpose of monitoring gray wolves in those areas which is essential for the state of Idaho to fulfill its obligations under the Idaho Wolf Recovery Plan of 2002, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10(j) rule of 2005, as well as requirements imposed by the Endangered Species Act. FISCAL NOTE There is no fiscal impact. Contact: Name: Rep. Ken Andrus Rep. Mike Moyle Phone: (208) 332-1000 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE HJM 11