Lawmakers under a rock

I read the Jan. 20 story about how the five North Idaho members of the House State Affairs committee voted on HB1 to name the Idaho giant salamander as the official state amphibian.

Four representatives voted no: Vito Barbieri, Don Cheatham, Kathy Sims and Shannon McMillan. I am disappointed that these representatives are uninformed when it comes to the Endangered Species Act and naming a state symbol.

It stated they were concerned about federal overreach. It’s ridiculous they do not understand that listing a species to be threatened or endangered has nothing to do with state symbols. Even Idaho’s attorney general told lawmakers designating a state symbol does not give any plant or animal special status. The Idaho giant salamander makes perfect sense. It’s only in Idaho, unlike other amphibians.

At least the representative from Lava Hot Springs based his personal opinion of salamanders (they are “creepy”), not some fear-based uneducated opinion that it would influence the ESA.

This will go up for vote again in the spring. Please read on the Idaho giant salamander, what a wonderful creature it is, and write your representatives and tell them they should vote yes.

Kimberly Johnson

Kellogg