Chenoweth: Delay Deal To Compensate Tribe Says Land Swap With Nez Perce Wastes Tax Money

Rep. Helen Chenoweth wants the federal government to put a deal on hold that would compensate Idaho and the Nez Perce Tribe for wildlife losses caused by the construction of Dworshak Reservoir.

“This project appears to be an excellent example of a waste of Bonneville Power Administration/ taxpayer dollars by allowing government to gobble up more private property,” Chenoweth wrote in a letter dated May 1.

Chenoweth, R-Idaho, was responding to a Bonneville Power Administration environmental assessment of the proposed Dworshak mitigation agreement.

The pact would transfer 60,000 acres on Craig Mountain from federal to state ownership to compensate for elk habitat lost by the flooding of 54 miles of the Clearwater River’s North Fork behind Dworshak Dam.

The agreement between state, tribal and BPA officials also would give the Nez Perce Tribe a $7.1 million trust fund to buy property along the Clearwater River, mostly to replace lost white-tailed deer habitat.

In her letter, Chenoweth said taking agricultural land out of production for the sake of wildlife habitat would “create documented harm to the local economies and the state of Idaho in general.”

The Dworshak mitigation pact arose after efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to replace habitat lost to the reservoir. The Northwest Power Planning Council has overseen efforts to compensate states and tribes for those losses.

Idaho Fish and Game Commission Chairman Keith Carlson of Lewiston said commissioners have discussed Chenoweth’s letter but have not decided what action to take, if any.

If BPA officials find the mitigation agreement has no significant environmental impact, clearing the way for the deal to proceed, no state or tribal action would be required, Carlson said.

“We hope this could be resolved so the sportsmen can go hunting,” he said.