2005 Legislation
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SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 112 – Rivers, shipping channels, sediment

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 112

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Bill Status



SJM112.....................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN - Stating findings of the Legislature and urging
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue to work toward developing a
long-term sediment management plan and further urging Congress to take
whatever steps are possible to facilitate dredging of the Snake River and
Clearwater River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
                                                                        
03/25    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
    Rpt prt - to 10th Ord
03/29    10th Ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Floor Sponsor - Stegner
    Title apvd - to House
03/30    House intro - 1st rdg - to Res/Con
03/31    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
04/01    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
04/04    3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Floor Sponsor - Rusche
    Title apvd - to Senate
04/04    To enrol
04/05    Rpt enrol - Pres/Sp signed
04/06    To Secretary of State

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                               SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 112
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS 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 Senate and the House of Representatives of  the
  6    State  of  Idaho  assembled  in  the First Regular Session of the Fifty-eighth
  7    Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:
                                                                        
  8        WHEREAS, many Idaho companies and producers rely on the  navigable  waters
  9    of the Snake River, Clearwater River and Columbia River to ship wood products,
 10    agricultural  products and other commodities between Lewiston, Pasco and Port-
 11    land; and
 12        WHEREAS, cost savings of transportation by barge on the lower Snake River,
 13    compared to other transportation methods, are estimated to save Idaho shippers
 14    millions of dollars per year; and
 15        WHEREAS, over the course of a number of years, shipping  has  become  more
 16    difficult  due  to drought-related low water levels and sediment accumulation.
 17    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined that in  some  areas,  channel
 18    depth has been reduced to only 10 feet; and
 19        WHEREAS,  the Corps is mandated by Congress to maintain a 14-foot shipping
 20    channel in the river. In previous nondrought years, the Corps  has  maintained
 21    the shipping channel depth by raising the level of water behind the dams; and
 22        WHEREAS,  barges typically have a draft of about 13 feet and port managers
 23    and shipping companies are now having to light-load barges  to  avoid  getting
 24    stuck in shallow areas of the ports and the river; and
 25        WHEREAS, the Corps planned to dredge sediment from the shipping channel to
 26    the  river  edges, which the Corps maintained would not only solve the naviga-
 27    tion problems but also improve shallow rearing habitat, but efforts have  been
 28    forestalled by opponents.
 29        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session
 30    of the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Representa-
 31    tives  concurring  therein,  that  we urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
 32    continue to work toward the development of  a  long-term  sediment  management
 33    plan.
 34        BE  IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session of the
 35    Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the  House  of  Representatives
 36    concurring  therein, that we urge Congress to take whatever steps are possible
 37    to facilitate dredging of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers  by  the  U.S.  Army
 38    Corps of Engineers.
 39        BE  IT  FURTHER  RESOLVED  that the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is
 40    hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the Pres-
 41    ident of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of  Representatives  of  Con-
 42    gress, and the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the
 43    Congress of the United States.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 15200

The purpose of this joint memorial is to urge Congress to take
whatever steps are possible to facilitate dredging of the Snake
and Clearwater Rivers by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  This
memorial was approved by the Expanded Natural Resources Interim
Committee on Water of 2004.






                           FISCAL NOTE

No fiscal impact to the State of Idaho.





Contact
Name:  Senator Joe Stegner 
Phone: (208) 332-1307



STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                    SJM 112