Kempthorne Ties Up Loose Ends Wants Likely Governorship To Be Shipshape

As his final year in the U.S. Senate gets under way, Republican Dirk Kempthorne wants to focus on wrapping up some unfinished business.

But as he prepares to make his formal announcement for governor in the coming weeks, the all-but-certain successor to GOP Gov. Phil Batt is making no promises about success in revising the Endangered Species Act and increasing Idaho’s share of federal highway money.

Both would have a direct affect on the state operations he plans to take control of a year from now and would accentuate the reason he decided to leave Washington, D.C., for the Idaho Capitol - the federal drive to return power to the states.

“Nothing is sure in Congress,” Kempthorne said. “That is why even during this recess we keep working the issue. This is as close as anybody has been.”

He maintains his run for governor - no serious challenger is expected from either party - will not interfere with his work in Congress.

“Because we have invested so much time and effort in these (issues), they have absolutely our full attention,” Kempthorne said. “Plus, if I am governor, I would like to have a few extra (transportation) dollars for my state.”

He hopes to get the Endangered Species Act revisions through the Senate this spring so there is time to resolve differences with an independent-minded House before the 1998 campaign brings congressional work to a halt.

Conservative Rep. Helen Chenoweth said she does not trust moderate Republican John Chafee of Rhode Island, the chairman of the Senate Public Works and Environment Committee, and does not know what he will do to Kempthorne’s bill before it clears the Senate.

“I think we will wait to see what the bill looks like in the House,” Chenoweth said, but “if anyone can accomplish this, Senator Kempthorne can.”

The bill that cleared Chafee’s committee last fall would provide new incentives to landowners to protect species by guaranteeing that once a protection plan is worked out, the government will leave them alone. It also would give landowners more say in developing species habitats and would set time limits on completing species management plans.

But it does not include a provision - strongly supported by House conservatives - for property owners to be financially compensated if their land is affected by the law.

Legislation reauthorizing the federal highway law, set to expire this spring, will be one of the first bills considered in the Senate this year, Kempthorne said.

Kempthorne will be among the negotiators trying to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the highway fund distribution bill. The Senate version would provide greater benefits to fast growing western and southern states like Idaho, which would get $50 million more a year under it than the House plan.