Peanut Gallery (Trashing IDEQ)

Good Morning Dave,

Isn’t the Idaho legislature something? While we sit here and beg the railroad to stop its refueling activity at the Hauser site, the legislature wants to take even more power away from the DEQ by removing their mandate to inspect certain construction sites for environmental compliance! First, they gut the department (and its ability to perform site reviews) by cutting staff positions. Then they complain about the time it takes the department to perform the inspections!

Like with the grassfield burning issue, the legislature is setting everyone up for long-term bitterness and endless litigation. Why will they not learn from their previous failures? Good grief!!!

Doug Burr

DFO: Doug is referring to that 49-17 vote in the Idaho House Monday here , stripping the IDEQ of powers to review plans for modifications of water and wastewater systems. Had the bill been in effect a few years back, IDEQ wouldn’t have had any authority to review plans for the BNSF refueling depot.