Special Status Unlikely For Clearwater River

Three Idaho conservation groups are swimming against the current by nominating the Clearwater River as an American Heritage River.

The Idaho Conservation League, Clearwater Biodiversity Project and Friends of the Clearwater submitted an application to the Clinton administration this week, two days before the deadline.

If selected as one of 10 American Heritage Rivers nationwide, communities along the river could get extra federal funding for environmental, historical, recreational and economic efforts.

“We think the Clearwater is an important river in Idaho considering that the Lewis and Clark bicentennial (celebration) is coming up next year,” said Larry McLaud of the ICL. “It would provide incentive to preserve the natural and historic legacy of the river.”

Idaho Congressman Helen Chenoweth has already short-circuited the Clearwater’s prospects, however.

She’s a leading opponent of the rivers initiative and has sponsored legislation to cut off funding for the new federal program.

In a letter to Kathleen McGinty, chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Idaho’s congressional delegation asked that none of Idaho’s rivers be designated as American Heritage Rivers.

The council reportedly has agreed to honor the delegation’s request.

McLaud said the delegation’s opposition is short-sighted.

“They’re missing a great opportunity,” he said. “They should think twice about being against such a project that would help the local communities.”

Even without that hurdle, the applicants face considerable obstacles.

So far, the ICL hasn’t contacted communities to enlist their support.

One of the criteria for being selected as an American Heritage River is to have broad backing from individuals and organizations along the river.

“Opposition from elected officials would be evidence that broad community support does not exist,” say the instructions for applicants on the American Heritage Rivers website.

Chenoweth spokesman Chad Hyslop said the groups that nominated the Clearwater River clearly don’t represent riverside communities.

“Those are three outside interest groups,” he said. “That doesn’t reflect Idaho values.”

And it doesn’t reflect the desires of many businesses in the Lewiston area.

“There’s a concern that this is another layer of bureaucracy that’s imposed on a lot of other layers that are already in existence,” said Mike Sullivan of Potlatch Corp. “We’re very skeptical of the process.”

While Potlatch doesn’t have any objections to establishing historic sites or other amenities along the river, the timber company is concerned about more regulation of water quality issues.

The environmental groups behind the petition openly acknowledge that environmental protection is one goal of their nomination.

“One of the reasons is that it’s imminently threatened with large-scale clearcut-style logging,” said Scott Brown, ICL’s state issues director.

Potlatch isn’t alone in opposing the American Heritage Rivers program. Last month, the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce legislative committee voted to oppose it.

At least one member of the committee said he believed it was the first step toward taking property rights away from individuals and local government.

That feeling may extend beyond business people.

Frank Bruneel, a state legislator from Lewiston, said his constituents wouldn’t care to have more government oversight - no matter how well-intentioned.

“It would be a tough sell,” said the Republican representative. “We already have the heavy hand of government mandated by Easterners impacting the lifestyle of our local people.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of Clearwater River area