In brief: Mediator to discuss field burning options
Idaho farmers who in the past have annually burned their fields, and a clean-air group that opposes field-burning on public health grounds, will meet separately with a dispute resolution expert on Friday.
“These are preliminary discussions to see if there’s any room for dialogue to try to find a middle ground,” said Jon Hanian, spokesman for Gov. Butch Otter. Otter has been an advocate of negotiations between the various sides on the issue. However, a federal court has stopped all field burning in Idaho while the state works on a new plan to comply with the federal Clean Air Act regarding open burning, a process that could take three years.
Duke University law professor Francis McGovern will meet separately with growers and with Sandpoint-based Safe Air For Everyone. Hanian said Otter is “hopeful something productive might come from it.”
Boundary County
Hearing scheduled on growth plan
The Boundary County Commission is having a public hearing July 30 on the new version of the county’s growth plan.
The county is rewriting its comprehensive plan, the foundation of all land-use decisions. The proposed plan is available for review at the county’s Web site at www.boundarycountyid.org. Copies on CD also are available at the Planning and Zoning Office.
The deadline for written comment is July 23.
The 6 p.m. public hearing is in the main courtroom of the Boundary County Courthouse.
For more information, call (208) 267-7212.
From staff reports