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HCR054.........................................................by EDUCATION
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES - Stating findings of the Legislature and
encouraging the exploration of opportunities for the development of
renewable resource energy generation on state endowment lands.
03/05 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/06 Rpt prt - to 2nd rdg
03/07 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/10 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote
Floor Sponsor - Nonini
Title apvd - to Senate
03/11 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to St Aff
03/24 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord
03/27 10th Ord - ADOPTED - 34-0-1
AYES -- Andreason, Bair, Bastian, Bilyeu, Broadsword, Burkett,
Cameron, Coiner, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Fulcher, Gannon(Gannon),
Geddes, Goedde, Hammond, Heinrich, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough,
Langhorst, Little, Lodge, Malepeai(Sagness), McGee, McKague, Pearce,
Richardson, Schroeder, Siddoway, Stegner, Stennett, Werk
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- McKenzie
Floor Sponsor - Little
Title apvd - to House
03/28 To enrol - Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/31 Pres signed
04/01 To Secretary of State
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]] Fifty-ninth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2008IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 54 BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2 STATING THE FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND ENCOURAGING THE GOVERNOR OF THE 3 STATE OF IDAHO, THROUGH THE IDAHO OFFICE OF ENERGY RESOURCES, TO EXPLORE 4 OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE RESOURCE ENERGY GENERATION 5 ON STATE ENDOWMENT LANDS, ENCOURAGING THE IDAHO STATE BOARD OF LAND COM- 6 MISSIONERS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LEASE OF STATE ENDOWMENT LANDS 7 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE RESOURCE ENERGY GENERATION AND ENCOURAG- 8 ING THE LEGISLATURE TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF IDAHO'S RENEWABLE RESOURCES 9 ON STATE ENDOWMENT LANDS AND TO PROVIDE ENABLING AUTHORITY AS WELL AS ECO- 10 NOMIC INCENTIVES FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING AND STIMULATING PRIVATE 11 SECTOR DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE RESOURCE ENERGY GENERATION TO MAXIMIZE 12 POTENTIAL RETURNS FROM OUR ENDOWMENT LANDS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION WHILE AT 13 THE SAME TIME PROMOTING RURAL AND URBAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB STIM- 14 ULATION. 15 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 16 WHEREAS, Idaho public schools represent a cornerstone of Idaho's future in 17 relation to education, democracy and economic vitality; and 18 WHEREAS, adequate fiscal resources from multiple sources are important to 19 sustaining Idaho's system of public education; and 20 WHEREAS, the state of Idaho owns and manages several million acres of 21 land, known as the "trust" or "endowment" lands, granted to it by the federal 22 government for the purpose of financing public institutions, chief among the 23 beneficiaries being the public schools; and 24 WHEREAS, the original grant of land occurred in 1863 in the Organic Act of 25 the Territory of Idaho which granted to the Idaho Territory sections sixteen 26 and thirty-six of each township for the support of public schools; and 27 WHEREAS, pursuant to the Constitution of the State of Idaho, the lands are 28 to be managed in such a manner as will secure the maximum long-term financial 29 return to the institution to which granted or to the state if not specifically 30 granted; and 31 WHEREAS, funding for Idaho's public schools is in part dependent upon the 32 beneficial management and productive utilization of our nearly 2.5 million 33 acres of endowment lands, acres of which are located throughout every county 34 in Idaho; and 35 WHEREAS, utilizing Idaho's endowment lands to their fullest potential, 36 securing the maximum long-term financial return for our public schools and 37 children while stimulating Idaho's rural and urban areas, may require a new 38 management approach and use of the lands which would simultaneously generate 39 stable funding for public schools and ensure reliable low-cost energy sources 40 for Idaho that protect the environment and promote economic growth; and 41 WHEREAS, endowment lands can serve as both a source of fiscal resources 42 for public schools and rural economic development because many of Idaho's 43 endowment lands are located in our most rural areas where renewable resource 44 development would promote the economy through job growth and tax revenue stim- 2 1 ulation; and 2 WHEREAS, in addition to traditional uses of grazing, logging and mineral 3 exploration, Idaho's endowment lands are rich with renewable energy resources 4 including wind, sun, geothermal, low impact hydro and biomass sources that 5 should be developed as a means to generate fiscal resources for our public 6 school system and as a means to generate electricity to meet the needs of 7 Idaho's growing population; and 8 WHEREAS, developing in-state renewable resources on endowment lands would 9 contribute to secure reliable energy by reducing dependence upon remote 10 resources that must be transported over long distances and also contribute to 11 a more secure funding source for Idaho's public education system through the 12 dedicated endowment lands. 13 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses- 14 sion of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and 15 the Senate concurring therein, that the Governor of the State of Idaho, 16 through the Idaho Office of Energy Resources, is encouraged to explore oppor- 17 tunities for the development of renewable resource energy generation on state 18 endowment lands. 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners 20 is encouraged to explore opportunities for the lease of state endowment lands 21 for the development of renewable resource energy generation. 22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the legislature is encouraged to promote 23 development of Idaho's renewable resources on state endowment lands and to 24 provide enabling authority as well as economic incentives for the purpose of 25 encouraging and stimulating private sector development of renewable resource 26 energy generation to maximize potential returns from our endowment lands for 27 public education while at the same time promoting rural and urban economic 28 development and job stimulation.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 18059
The purpose of this resolution is to direct and encourage the
Governor, the Office of Energy, and the Land Board to work towards
the development of energy production of renewable resources on
state endowment lands for the purpose of maximizing the potential
returns for education.
FISCAL NOTE
None.
Contact
Name: Rep. Bob Nonini
Phone: (208) 332-1000
Rep. Eric Anderson
Speaker Lawerence Denney
Rep. Mike Moyle
Rep. Scott Bedke
Rep. Ken Roberts
Rep. George Eskridge
Rep. Frank Henderson
Rep. Cliff Bayer
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE HCR 54