Tribe Gets Epa Grant To Protect Wetlands

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s water resource department has received a $60,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to develop plans and procedures for protecting wetlands on the reservation.

A public meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. today at the DeSmet Social Hall to discuss wetland protection issues regarding work on streams following the February floods.

The initial focus of the wetland project has been to map public and private property with wetlands within the reservation, said Chris Hardy, tribal water resource manager.

A working group created to administer the grant money is collecting public opinion on how to best protect those wetlands. Tribal members, developers, loggers, farmers and others have been invited to participate, Hardy said.

“It’s going to be something the people can buy off on,” he said.

, DataTimes