JUNE TOWN HALL
On June 4, 2024, Idaho Sportsmen and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation held the monthly Idaho Sportsmen Legislative Caucus Townhall. Benn Brocksome, Idaho Sportsmen, started the meeting by thanking all for joining during these summer months and giving a quick overview of primary election results before beginning the round table discussions.
Jess Byrnes, Director of DEQ, updated the group, stating DEQ is well underway preparing for the FY 25 projects and funding, including many water projects. Susan Buxton, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR), updated the group on IDPR replacing marinas and water systems across the state. The ARPA funds are going to deferred maintenance, with no funding going to additional FTE. Other projects include restoring the remaining World War II buildings and other historic homes, and many more projects to come statewide.
The Outdoor Recreation Fund Advisory Committee (ORFAC) met once in 2024 and received updates on the 2023 recommended projects; some are well underway. The next round of funding is coming soon, which will discuss how to best use the ARPA and state funding before the timelines approach. Idaho Sportsmen will continue to work on ORFAC, and more updates will be provided soon.
Rep. Mark Sauter (R-1) spoke on the Lake Pend Oreille issues; the lake falls and rises around 11 feet throughout the year. Due to Federal and state agreements and statutes, recreation has become an issue with tight restrictions on water rising and falling, leading to many docks being unable to be used. Governor Little is aware of this issue, but citizens are trying to remain positive to fix it before it impacts future recreation seasons. Rep. Sauter also spoke during his meeting with the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and many sportsmen to work on the issue of recreation access that has popped up as gates and fences due to bad actors.
Idaho Sportsmen and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation will hold their annual shooting event for the Idaho Sportsmen Legislative Caucus Townhall in September in conjunction with National Hunting and Fishing Day. More information will be coming soon.
There will be no town hall in July, so the next Idaho Sportsmen Legislative Caucus Townhall will be held on August 6, 2024, at 6 PM. If members have questions on negotiated rulemakings or other agency activity, do not hesitate to contact Idaho Sportsmen for more information.
