Ongoing Stalemate Not A Viable Option

Shoshone County residents are kidding themselves if they think nothing needs to be done with the once-pristine North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. Or if they believe only outsiders on day trips or overnight campouts are to blame for the growing threat of septic pollution.

The river’s being loved to death. And people with vacation property are as much a part of the problem as the thousands who invade the North Fork to fish, swim, raft and camp. But you wouldn’t know that by all the finger-pointing that went on last week at a Shoshone County planning commission meeting.

At issue was a plan to require that a $200 permit be purchased by riverside property owners who allow campers on their land. The money is needed to police health regulations against dumping septic systems and other human waste near or in the North Fork. The outcry against the plan was so great, however, you’d think the FBI had invaded the Silver Valley again.

Ultimately, the idea was shelved.

Shoshone County can’t tread water for another year, gathering input and drafting a new ordinance, as one longtime resident suggested at the meeting. It needs to push ahead with steps to protect the North Fork - now. Such is the effect of increased trailer and RV use that some knowledgeable residents believe the river will reach the point of no return in five to 10 years.

However, Shoshone County should pursue future proposals in a responsible manner. County planners ignited the recent controversy by springing the proposed septic fee on seasonal residents.

The county should have run the permit idea past the North Fork Coeur d’Alene Task Force first. A year ago, the broad-based task force unveiled 47 recommendations to protect the water quality, scenery and tranquility of the 70-mile river. The steps ranged from adding dump stations and drop boxes to providing access areas for anglers and floaters, complete with parking and toilets.

The diverse task force, which included representatives of the North Fork Campers Association, area businesses and health and environmental agencies, hammered out compromises during winter 1998-99. The ground it covered doesn’t need to be replowed. In fact, the pollution problem was first addressed in the 1983 North Fork draft management plan. That plan gathered dust until the task force amended it.

With algae spreading on river rocks - a sign of nutrients from human waste - and RVs jammed into open spaces, the river can’t wait 17 more years until something is done.