2003 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1124 – Crop residue burnng/Rathdrm Prairie

SENATE BILL NO. 1124

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View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



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Daily Data Tracking History



S1124.........................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
CROP RESIDUE BURNING - Amends existing law to prohibit crop residue burning on
the Rathdrum Prairie on certain days; and to provide penalties for violation.
                                                                        
02/20    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/21    Rpt prt - to Agric Aff

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 First Regular Session - 2003
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1124
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL FIELD BURNING; AMENDING SECTION 22-4803, IDAHO  CODE,
  3        TO  PROHIBIT  CROP RESIDUE BURNING ON THE RATHDRUM PRAIRIE ON CERTAIN DAYS
  4        AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION 1.  That Section 22-4803, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        22-4803.  AGRICULTURAL FIELD BURNING. (1) The open burning of crop residue
  9    grown  in  agricultural fields shall be an allowable form of open burning when
 10    the provisions of this chapter, and any rules  promulgated  pursuant  thereto,
 11    and  the  environmental  protection  and health act, and any rules promulgated
 12    pursuant thereto, are met, and when no other agricultural viable  alternatives
 13    to burning are available, as determined by the director, for the purpose of:
 14        (a)  Disposing of crop residues;
 15        (b)  Developing  physiological  conditions  conducive  to  increased  crop
 16        yields; or
 17        (c)  Controlling diseases, insects, pests or weed infestations.
 18        (2)  The  following provisions shall apply to all agricultural field burn-
 19    ing:
 20        (a)  Any person conducting crop residue burning must make every reasonable
 21        effort to burn only when weather  conditions  are  conducive  to  adequate
 22        smoke  dispersion,  and  the  burning  does not emit particulates or other
 23        material which exceed the state and federal ambient air quality standards;
 24        and
 25        (b)  The open burning of crop residue shall  be  conducted  in  the  field
 26        where it was generated.
 27        (3)  In  Kootenai  and  Benewah counties, the legislature finds that there
 28    are a great many cereal grain, field  grass,  forage  grass,  and  turf  grass
 29    fields,  and  it  is a practice to burn these fields to control disease, weeds
 30    and pests in these counties. Therefore, in Kootenai and Benewah  counties,  no
 31    person shall conduct or allow any crop residue burning without first register-
 32    ing each field with the DEQ each year burning is conducted. Approved forms for
 33    registering  fields  when  needed  may  be obtained at the DEQ's Coeur d'Alene
 34    office. This provision is not met unless the forms contain all required infor-
 35    mation and are received by the DEQ prior to  field  ignition.  Notwithstanding
 36    any  other  provision of law to the contrary, no person shall conduct or allow
 37    any crop residue burning, and the DEQ and the department of agriculture  shall
 38    not  allow  or  issue  any  permits  to  allow any crop residue burning on the
 39    Rathdrum prairie on days when the wind is blowing in a northerly direction  so
 40    that  the  smoke  would be blown or dissipated toward Lake Pend Oreille or the
 41    cities of Sandpoint, Kootenai, Ponderay, Hope, or Clark Fork. Any person  vio-
 42    lating the provisions of this subsection shall be liable for penalties as pro-
 43    vided  in  chapter 1, title 39, Idaho Code, and such violation shall be deemed
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
                                                                        
  1    an air quality violation.
  2        (4)  The use of reburn machines, propane  flamers,  or  other  devices  to
  3    ignite  or  reignite  a field for the purpose of crop residue burning shall be
  4    considered an allowable form of open burning when the provisions of this chap-
  5    ter, and any rules promulgated pursuant thereto, the environmental  protection
  6    and health act, and any rules promulgated thereto, are met.
                                                                        
  7        SECTION  2.  An  emergency  existing  therefor,  which emergency is hereby
  8    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
  9    passage and approval.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                 
                                              RS 12649
                                 
                                   The grass seed farmers on the Rathdrum Prairie only burn their fields
  when the smoke will be delivered to the north.
  
   The purpose of this bill is to alleviate the health and economic
  damage to the populated areas to the north of Rathdrum Prairie from
  the burning.
  
  
  
  
                           FISCAL IMPACT
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                   There is no impact to the general fund.
  
  
  
  
  
   Contact
                Name:    Senator Shawn Keough
                      Phone:   332 1000
         Rep. John Campbell
   Rep. George Eskridge
  
   STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE          S1124