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Idaho Farm Bureau Policies for 2003 by Idaho Farm Bureau Foundation Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly, February, 2003

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NATURAL RESOURCES - ENERGY -

73. ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    As future demands for electrical energy increase we support the continued careful use of water as one of our renewable natural resources through hydro projects proving all county, state and federal requirements are met.

    We encourage canal companies and irrigation districts to adopt hydro projects to generate power for sale. However, we do not support the construction of hydro power generation facilities solely for the purpose of committing power to other areas.

    We oppose any deregulation, reorganization, merger or consolidation of power generation or transmission which could result in loss of water rights, less service or increase rates.

    We support wind generation or any economically feasible source of power generation.

    We support the addition of wind generated electrical energy when it can be used to supplement existing generation. We support legislation and/or policy to change the compensation schedule currently paid by utility companies from a monthly net metering pay allowance to an annual net metering pay allowance.

    We support the establishment of methane power generators that use plant and/or animal residue, or logging slash.

74. FOSSIL FUELS
    We support the mining and drilling of fossil fuels. However, we believe they should be taken in such a manner that minimum disruption of the environment would be involved. We recognize the possibilities of using other forms of energy and support research into these possibilities, including sources generated from agricultural produce and by-products.

75. NUCLEAR ENERGY
    We support the generation of electricity from nuclear energy in meeting our future energy needs and urge the development of permanent disposal sits for radioactive waste material where it will not endanger Idaho's aquifer. We support research and development of further usage of radioactive waste materials and safer ways of storage.

    We strongly support the generating of electicity by nuclear power, using new technology such as the Pebble Bed Reactor.

76. RENEWABLE FUELS
    We recommend that fuel quality standards be reviewed and updated.

    We support the availability of low cost fuels for the operation of farms and ranches. We support the promotion and use of ethanol and other alternative fuels made from agricultural products.

    We support implementation of state renewable fuel standard which encourages the utilization of ethanol as an oxygenate to replace MTBE in reformulated gasoline.

    NATURAL RESOURCES - EASMENTS -

77. WILDLIFE HABITAT EASEMENTS
    We strongly support repeals by the Idaho Legislature of Idaho Code 63-605 - Land Used to Protect Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat - the so called Wildlife Habitat Easement.

78. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND SCENIC EASEMENTS
    We support continuation of the Conservation Easement and of the Scenic Easement only if the real property involved, remains on the tax rolls according to use.

    NATURAL RESOURCES - FISH AND WILDLIFE -

79. ANIMAL DAMAGE CONTROL
    We support animal damage control programs to control and manage predators, rodents and destructive wildlife.

80. ENDANGERED SPECIES
    We believe that human need for food and energy has ultimate priority over protection of endangered or threatened species and that a thorough investigation of all economic impacts must be undertaken prior to listing of any species as threatened or endangered. We believe that ESA violates our constitutional rights.

    A species cannot be listed as endangered before the species critical habitat is identified. A specific site assessment or recovery plan must be adopted in order to protect landowners property rights.

    We support revision of the Endangered Species Act so that preservation of agricultural practices, mining and timbering is a priority.

    Threatened or endangered species shall be given no priority over other uses and/or rights.

    Hatchery fish and wild fish should be treated the same under the Endangered Species Act. Hatchery fish should be counted toward recovery of the species. We support eliminating the marking of hatchery fish.

    We oppose the introduction of the wolf and grizzly bear into federal/state and private lands in Idaho. We believe that introduction and reintroduction of any predator must be approved by the state legislature. We fear for the safety and welfare of all families and children in the State of Idaho.

    We support the right of landowners to protect themselves, their families, livestock and properties from all predators including grizzly bears and wolves without legal retaliation.

    We urge Congress to seek depredation funding for losses or damage resulting from endangered species and mandate responsibility to deal with such losses.

    Since the wolf has flourished in Idaho and existing numbers are now closely approaching the USFWS's goals, we support delisting of the wolf with the intent of opening a permit hunt on wolves.

    We oppose road closures and land and water use restrictions in the name of critical habitat.

    No critical habitat designation will be allowed until it has been established without any doubt that the species in question is actually present and that endangered or threatened status is actually warranted. The agency, organization, or individual requesting the critical habitat designation must bear the cost of proving presence of the species and this must be done through the use of the best available peer reviewed science.

    We believe that the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) authority ends where the ocean ends and the NMFS have no authority over endangered species in the state of Idaho.

    We oppose implementation of the endangered species pesticide labeling program, other than in critical habitat.

81. WOLVES
    We strongly support removing introduced wolves and offspring from Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, by utilizing all effective and practical available control methods. We support delisting from the endangered species list and classification of the wolf as a predator requiring no management plan by either state or federal agencies. The costs associated with wolves, including triple damages for depredation costs, should be borne by the federal government and not by the taxpayers of Idaho.

82. SALMON RECOVERY
    We support the following salmon recovery alternatives:
    1. Physically modifying the dams rather than tearing them down or lowering water levels.

    2. Improvement of barging such as net barge transportation.

    3. Privatize salmon fisheries for stronger fish.

    4. Control predators of salmon.

    5. Utilizing a new fish friendly turbine developed by INEEL having (2) goals:
       1. Increased power production.
       2. Reduce hazards to fish passage.
          
       (bluefish suggests reading of UW Prof Debunks Turbine Efficiency/Fish Survival Assumption)

    6. Operating the Brannon bypass system as an option to facilitate salmon recovery and support continued study of the Kevlar Tube and other bypass systems.
       (see Build the Fish Their Own River, One Man Says)

    7. Regulate harvest of off shore and instream fish.

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