Bill introduced to raise invasive species sticker fee for out-of-state boaters

A fee increase for out-of-state boaters on invasive species stickers was introduced in the House Resources Committee this afternoon, on the recommendation of an interim panel of legislators who studied invasive species issues. The required stickers for out-of-state motorboats would rise from the current $22 to $30 on Jan. 1, 2018.

Rep. Mat Erpelding, D-Boise, presented the bill to the committee this afternoon. House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, asked him, “Why didn’t we go backwards and put an emergency clause on it,” to make it effective this past Jan. 1, or make it effective July 1? Erpelding said the interim committee wanted to start the increase July 1, but the state Parks Department advised that it couldn’t make the change until the next calendar year. “That’s the calendar year that they use for the tags,” Erpelding said.

Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley, said, “I do think the largest risk is boats coming from out of state, so I think this is an appropriate response. If we ever get quagga mussels in there, it’s going to be a significant amount of cost to the state. I recognize this is a fee increase, but I support it.”

Erpelding said the increase should raise another $100,000 to $150,000 for Idaho’s boat inspection program, aimed at keeping invasive quagga and zebra mussels out of the state’s waterways. “I’d love it if we could raise this fee so that we could pay for the entire thing, but that isn’t the case,” he said. “A hundred thousand dollars will help us keep those checkpoints open for longer.”