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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
]]]] 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
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