Counties Balk On Lake CDA Plan, Tribe Role

After three false starts, the state of Idaho and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe reached agreement this summer over managing a century’s worth of mining pollution at the bottom of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The long-awaited plan is intended to keep the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from stepping in with a Superfund remedy for 83ƒ|million tons of lake mud tainted with heavy metals. Taking action to protect Lake Coeur d’Alene’s water quality will keep the metals capped at the lake bottom, the plan says. But the 160-page plan lacks support from a key constituency: boards of commissioners in Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone counties aren’t endorsing it/ Becky Kramer , SR. More here .

Photo: Kathy Plonka/SR

Question: Are the concerns by three boards of commissioners in North Idaho re: Indian control legitimate? Or a sign of bias?