The Idaho Senate Resources and Environment Committee recommended approval of legislation Wednesday aimed at giving county officials a "stick" to use against federal land managers, reports Bill Spence of the Lewiston Tribune. Supporters say the bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, and backed by the Idaho Freedom Foundation, doesn't provide counties with any authority beyond what they have now, but they hope it encourages counties to take a more aggressive stance. Opponents said collaboration is a better approach.

The measure lets county sheriffs or the chairmen of county commissions declare a "catastrophic public nuisance" if they feel federal lands are being neglected or mismanaged in a way that threatens public health, safety or welfare. "Counties can already do this, but having it in state law might give a little more spine to some," said Idaho County Commissioner Jim Chmelik, who testified in favor of the bill last week. The panel took testimony over two days, nearly all of it against the bill, before approving it on a party-line vote with only minority Democrats dissenting. You can read Spence’s full report here.