Historical Idaho environmental information, 1954-2016

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State environmental policy
U.S. environmental policy
Endangered species policy
State endangered species
Federal land policy
Environmental terms

The historical environmental information below applies to prior years. For more current information regarding environmental policy in Idaho, see this article.

Land ownership

See also: Federal land policy and Federal land ownership by state

The federal government owned between 635 million and 640 million acres of land in 2012 (about 28 percent) of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Around 52 percent of federally owned acres were in 12 Western states—including Alaska, 61 percent of which was federally owned. In contrast, the federal government owned 4 percent of land in the other 38 states. Federal land policy is designed to manage minerals, oil and gas resources, timber, wildlife and fish, and other natural resources found on federal land. Land management policies are highly debated for their economic, environmental and social impacts. Additionally, the size of the federal estate and the acquisition of more federal land are major issues.

According to the Congressional Research Service, Idaho spans 52.93 million acres. Of that total, 61.65 percent, or 32.63 million acres, belonged to the federal government as of 2012. More than 20.2 million acres in Idaho are not owned by the federal government, or 12.59 non-federal acres per capita. From 1990 to 2010, the federal government's land ownership in Idaho increased by 69,754 acres.

The table below shows federal land ownership in Idaho compared to neighboring states. More than 62 percent of Idaho's federal land was owned by the U.S. Forest Service, which was a smaller percentage than Oregon (92.2 percent) and Montana (63.4 percent), but the Forest Service owned more acres in Idaho than in Oregon and Montana.

Federal land ownership in Idaho and other states by agency
State
Agency	Idaho		Oregon		Montana
	Acres owned	Percentage owned	Acres owned	Percentage owned	Acres owned	Percentage owned
U.S. Forest Service	20,465,014	62.71%	15,687,556	92.20%	17,082,821	63.45%
U.S. National Park Service	507,585	1.56%	192,020	1.13%	1,214,184	4.51%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service	48,947	0.15%	482,694	2.84%	635,066	2.36%
U.S. Bureau of Land Management	11,610,111	35.57%	574,510	3.38%	7,981,452	29.65%
U.S. Department of Defense	4,178	0.01%	77,153	0.45%	8,338	0.03%
Total federal land	32,635,835	100%	17,013,933	100%	26,921,861	100.00%
Source: Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data"

Land usage

Recreation

National parks in Idaho

Idaho has six National Park Service units, two national monuments, nine national forests, 12 wilderness areas, one national historic site, three national historic trails, and one national conservation area. A study by the U.S. National Park Service found that 614,410 visitors attended Idaho's national parks and monuments and generated $29.4 million in visitor spending in 2013.

State recreation lands

Idaho has 32 state parks. The table below contains a list of all state parks in Idaho and total visitation figures for 2013.

State parks in Idaho
State park name	Total visits (2013)
Bear Lake	529,626
Bruneau Dunes	60,560
Castle Rocks	115,237
City Of Rocks	227,609
Coeur d' Alene Parkway	469,413
Dworshak	89,366
Eagle Island	293,452
Farragut	361,339
Harriman	77,867
Hells Gate	191,108
Henrys Lake	52,326
Heyburn	146,591
Lake Cascade	340,622
Lake Walcott	49,263
Land of Yankee Fork	26,909
Spring Shores	199,265
Sandy Point	199,265
Discovery	139,218
Massacre Rocks	42,820
Mesa Falls	109,122
Old Mission	88,121
Ponderosa	429,171
Indian Creek	61,819
Lionhead	25,649
Round Lake	65,390
Billingsley Creek	21,917
Malad Gorge	41,850
Box Canyon	6,942
Niagara Springs	89,764
Three Island Crossing	81,278
Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes	57,005
Winchester Lake	138,688
Total visits (2013)	4,777,250

Federal lands and Indian reservations in the state of Idaho by government agency (click on the image to enlarge)

Economic impact of state lands

According to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, outdoor recreation in Idaho created $6.3 billion in consumer spending in 2013 and generated $461 million in state and local tax revenues. The department estimated that the state's recreation lands supported roughly 77,000 private sector jobs throughout Idaho in 2013.

Economic activity on federal lands

Oil and gas activity

See also: BLM oil and gas leases by state

Private mining companies, including oil and natural gas companies, can apply for leases from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to explore and produce energy on federal land. The company seeking a lease must nominate the land for oil and gas exploration to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which evaluates and approves the lease. The BLM state offices make leasing decisions based on their land use plans, which contain information on the land's resources and the potential environmental impact of oil or gas exploration. If federal lands are approved for leasing, the BLM requires an application from the company containing information on how the exploration, drilling and production will be conducted. Afterward, the BLM will produce an environmental analysis and a list of requirements before work on the land can begin. The agency also inspects the companies' drilling and producing on the leased lands.

In 2013, there were 47,427 active leases covering 36.09 million acres of federal land nationwide. Of that total, 4 leases (0.01 percent of all leases), covering 7,355 acres (0.02 percent of all leased land in 2013), were in Idaho. In 2013, out of 3,770 new drilling leases approved nationwide by the BLM for oil and gas exploration, no leases were in Idaho.

The table below shows how Idaho compared to neighboring states in oil and gas permits on BLM-managed lands in 2013. Idaho had more active leases and acres under lease than Washington but fewer than Oregon.

Oil and gas leasing on BLM lands by state
State	Active permits on BLM lands (FY 2013)	Total acres under lease (FY 2013)	State percentage of total permits	State percentage of total acres
Idaho	4	7,355	0.01%	0.02%
Montana	3,488	2,728,738	7.35%	7.56%
Oregon	112	188,391	0.24%	0.52%
Washington	2	3,804	0.00%	0.01%
Total United States	47,427 permits	36,092,482 acres	-	-
Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Statistics"

Grazing permits

See also: Grazing permits on federal land

Sheep grazing on BLM lands in Worland, Wyoming in 1940

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages livestock grazing on 155 million acres of its public lands. Nationally, the BLM oversees about 18,000 permits and leases that allow ranchers to graze their livestock, mostly sheep and cows, on BLM-managed lands. The permits and leases overseen by the BLM are valid for 10 years and the fees are based on the number of animals the rancher has on the land. To track these animals the BLM created what are called Animal Unit Months (AUMs), or "the amount of forage needed to sustain one cow, five sheep, or five goats for a month." Since 1954, grazing on public lands has declined, from 18.2 million AUMs to 7.9 million AUMs in 2013. Holding a grazing permit requires the applicant to own or control the property used for grazing. The applicant may also offer other privately owned property used for grazing by submitting a separate application. The terms and conditions in a grazing permit control how livestock must be used on BLM lands.

The table compares the grazing permits in the 10 states where permits are issued.

Grazing on BLM lands (March 2011)
State	BLM land (acres)	Grazing allotments	Grazing permits	Animal unit months (AUMs) of livestock use
Idaho	11,610,111	N/A	199	832,000
Arizona	12,203,495	824	759	659,990
Alaska	72,958,757	15	N/A	N/A
California	15,306,243	699	572	525,000
Colorado	8,332,001	2500	1500	N/A
Nevada	47,805,923	745	635	1,100,000
Oregon	16,134,191	N/A	753	960,288
South Dakota	274,437	504	N/A	73,800
Utah	22,854,937	1,410	1,462	1,300,000
Washington	429,156	N/A	266 (leases)	32,976

Payments in lieu of taxes

See also: Payments in lieu of taxes

Since local governments cannot collect taxes on federally owned property, the U.S. Department of the Interior issues payments to local governments to replace lost property tax revenue from federal land. The payments, known as "Payments in Lieu of Taxes" (PILTs), are typically used for funding services such as fire departments, police protection, school construction and roads.

The table below shows PILTs for Idaho compared to neighboring states between 2011 and 2013. Idaho received more PILTs in 2013 than Oregon and Washington but fewer than Montana.

Total PILTs for Idaho and neighboring states
State	FY 2011	FY 2012	FY 2013	State's percentage of 2013 total
Idaho	$25,592,241	$26,560,218	$26,326,163	6.55%
Montana	$24,717,269	$26,151,999	$26,497,071	6.60%
Oregon	$13,062,332	$14,004,966	$15,578,762	3.88%
Washington	$13,843,603	$15,340,025	$17,222,833	4.29%
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, "PILT"

State trust lands

The Idaho Department of Lands manages 2.4 million acres of endowment trust land intended to benefit specific educational and medical institutions. The largest beneficiaries are the Idaho public schools, the University of Idaho, public buildings, state hospitals and prisons. Idaho's forest lands generate the primary revenue for the state's endowment trust fund. Other revenue comes from mineral lands, commercial and residential real estate, grazing lands, recreation lands, and oil and gas exploration. In fiscal year 2013, Idaho raised $75.01 million in revenue from state trust lands while $47.5 million of that revenue went to the beneficiaries.

Legislation and regulation

Federal laws

Clean Air Act

The federal Clean Air Act requires each state to meet federal standards for air pollution. Under the act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees national air quality standards aimed at limiting pollutants from chemical plants, steel mills, utilities, and industrial factories. Individual states can enact stricter air standards if they choose, though each state must adhere to the EPA's minimum pollution standards. States implement federal air standards through a state implementation plan (SIP), which must be approved by the EPA.

Clean Water Act

The federal Clean Water Act is meant to address and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological status of the waters of the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates water pollution sources and provides financial assistance to states and municipalities for water quality programs.

According to research done by The New York Times using annual averages from 2004 to 2007, Idaho had 214.5 facilities that were regulated annually by the Clean Water Act. An average of 126.3 facilities violated the act annually from 2004 to 2007 in Idaho, and the EPA enforced the act an average of 4.2 times a year in the state. This information, published by the Times in 2009, was the most recent information on the subject as of October 2014.

The table below shows how Idaho compared to neighboring states in The New York Times study, including the number of regulated facilities, facility violations, and the annual average of enforcement actions against regulated facilities between 2004 and 2007. Idaho had more regulated facilities than Montana but fewer than Oregon and Washington. Idaho had more facility violations than Oregon but fewer than Montana and Washington.

The New York Times Clean Water Act study (2004-2007)
State	Number of facilities regulated	Facility violations	Annual average enforcement actions
Idaho	214.5	126.3	4.2
Montana	195.3	127.7	1.3
Oregon	374.5	26.5	17.3
Washington	435.3	195.4	16.8
Source: The New York Times, "Clean Water Act Violations: The Enforcement Record"

Endangered Species Act

The federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 provides for the identification, listing, and protection of both threatened and endangered species and their habitats. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the law was designed to prevent the extinction of vulnerable plant and animal species through the development of recovery plans and the protection of critical habitats. ESA administration and enforcement are the responsibility of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Federally listed species in Idaho

There were 15 endangered and threatened animal and plant species believed to or known to occur in Idaho as of July 2015.

The table below lists the 11 endangered and threatened animal species believed to or known to occur in the state. When an animal species has the word "Entire" after its name, that species will be found all throughout the state.

Endangered animal species in Idaho
Status	Species
Threatened	Bear, grizzly lower 48 States, except where listed as an experimental population or delisted (Ursus arctos horribilis)
Endangered	Caribou, woodland Selkirk Mountain population (Rangifer tarandus caribou)
Threatened	Cuckoo, yellow-billed Western U.S. DPS (Coccyzus americanus)
Endangered	Limpet, Banbury Springs Entire (Lanx sp.)
Threatened	Lynx, Canada (Contiguous U.S. DPS) (Lynx canadensis)
Threatened	Snail, Bliss Rapids Entire (Taylorconcha serpenticola)
Endangered	Snail, Snake River physa Entire (Physa natricina)
Endangered	Springsnail, Bruneau Hot Entire (Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis)
Threatened	Squirrel, northern Idaho ground Entire (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus)
Endangered	Sturgeon, white U.S.A. (ID, MT), Canada (B.C.), Kootenai R. system (Acipenser transmontanus)
Threatened	Trout, bull U.S.A., conterminous, lower 48 states (Salvelinus confluentus)
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Endangered and threatened species in Idaho"

The table below lists the four endangered and threatened plant species believed to or known to occur in the state.

Endangered plant species in Idaho
Status	Species
Threatened	Catchfly, Spalding's (Silene spaldingii)
Threatened	Four-o'clock, MacFarlane's (Mirabilis macfarlanei)
Threatened	Howellia, water (Howellia aquatilis)
Threatened	Ladies'-tresses, Ute (Spiranthes diluvialis)
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Endangered and threatened species in Idaho"

Enforcement

See also: Enforcement at the EPA

Idaho is part of the EPA's Region 10, which includes Alaska, Washington and Oregon.

The EPA enforces federal standards on air, water and hazardous chemicals. The EPA can engage in its own administrative action against private industries, or it can bring civil and/or criminal lawsuits against them. The goal of environmental law enforcement is usually the collection of penalties and fines for violations of laws like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. In 2013, the EPA estimated that 31.9 million pounds of pollution, which includes air pollution, water contaminants, and hazardous chemicals, were "reduced, treated or eliminated" and 45.8 million cubic yards of soil and water were cleaned in Region 10. Additionally, 174 enforcement cases were initiated, and 177 enforcement cases were concluded in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2012, the EPA collected $252 million in criminal fines and civil penalties from the private sector nationwide. In fiscal year 2013, the EPA collected $1.1 billion in criminal fines and civil penalties from the private sector nationwide, primarily due to the $1 billion settlement from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill along the Gulf Coast in 2010. The EPA only publishes nationwide data and does not provide state or region-specific information on the amount of fines and penalties it collects during a fiscal year.

Mercury and air toxics standards

See also: Mercury and air toxics standards

The EPA on mercury capture systems

The EPA enforces mercury and air toxics standards (MATS), which are national limits on mercury, chromium, nickel, arsenic and acidic gases from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Power plants are required to have certain technologies to limit these pollutants. In December 2011, the EPA issued greater restrictions on the amount of mercury and other toxic pollutants produced by power plants. As of 2014, approximately 580 power plants, including 1,400 oil- and coal-fired electric-generating units, fell under the federal rule. The EPA has claimed that power plants account for 50 percent of mercury emissions, 75 percent of acidic gases and around 20 to 60 percent of toxic metal emissions in the United States. All coal- and oil-fired power plants with a capacity of 25 megawatts or greater are subject to the standards. The EPA claims that the standards will "prevent up to 6 premature deaths in Idaho while creating up to $54 million in health benefits in 2016."

In 2014, the EPA released a study examining the economic, environmental, and health impacts of the MATS standards nationwide. Other organizations have released their own analyses about the effects of the MATS standards. Below is a summary of the studies on MATS and their effects as of November 2014.

EPA study
The EPA reported that its MATS rule would prevent roughly 11,000 premature deaths and 130,000 asthma attacks nationwide. The agency also anticipated between $37 billion and $90 billion in "improved air quality benefits" annually. For the rule's cost, the EPA estimated that annual compliance fees for coal- and oil-fired power plants would reach $9.6 billion.

NERA study
A 2012 study published by NERA Economic Consulting, a global consultancy group, reported that annual compliance costs in the electricity sector would total $10 billion in 2015 and nearly $100 billion cumulatively up through 2034. The same study found that the net impact of the MATS rule in 2015 would be the income equivalent of 180,000 fewer jobs. This net impact took into account the job gains associated with the building and refitting of power plants with new technology.

Superfund sites

The EPA established the Superfund program as part of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980.The Superfund program focuses on uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites nationwide. The EPA inspects waste sites and establishes cleanup plans for them. The federal government can compel the private entities responsible for a waste site to clean the site or face penalties. If the federal government cleans a waste site, it can force the responsible party to reimburse the EPA or other federal agencies for the cleanup's cost. Superfund sites include oil refineries, smelting facilities, mines and other industrial areas. As of October 2014, there were 1,322 Superfund sites nationwide. A total of 75 Superfund sites reside in Region 10, with an average of 18.75 sites per state. There were six Superfund sites in Idaho as of October 2014.

Economic impact

EPA studies
The Environmental Protection Agency publishes studies to evaluate the impact and benefits of its policies. Other studies may dispute the agency's findings or state the costs of its policies.

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent federal agency, the Superfund program received an average of almost $1.2 billion annually in appropriated funds between the years 1981 and 2009, adjusted for inflation. The GAO estimated that the trust fund of the Superfund program decreased from $5 billion in 1997 to $137 million in 2009. The Superfund program received an additional $600 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus bill.

In March 2011, the EPA claimed that the agency's Superfund program produced economic benefits nationwide. Because Superfund sites are added and removed from a prioritized list on a regular basis, the total number of Superfund sites since the program's inception in 1980 is unknown. Based on a selective study of 373 Superfund sites cleaned up since the program's inception, the EPA estimated that these benefits include the creation of 2,240 private businesses, $32.6 billion in annual sales from new businesses, 70,144 jobs and $4.9 billion in annual employment income.

Other studies were published detailing the costs associated with the Superfund program. According to the Property and Environment Research Center, a free market-oriented policy group based in Montana, the EPA spent over $35 billion on the Superfund program between 1980 and 2005.

Environmental impact

In March 2011, the EPA claimed that the Superfund program resulted in healthier environments surrounding former waste sites. An agency study analyzed the program's health and ecological benefits and focused on former landfills, mining areas, and abandoned dumps that were cleaned up and renovated. As of January 2009, out of the approximately 500 former Superfund sites used for the study, roughly 10 percent became recreational or commercial sites. Other former Superfund sites in the study are now used as wetlands, meadows, streams, scenic trails, parks, and habitats for plants and animals.

Carbon emissions

See also: Climate change, Greenhouse gas and Greenhouse gas emissions by state

In 2011, Idaho ranked 46th in CO₂ emissions nationwide. Idaho's emissions rose steadily between 1990 and 2000 before dropping off slightly between 2000 and 2003. Emissions peaked at 16 million metric tons in several years, including the years 2005 to 2007 and 2010 to 2011. Because of low population, Idaho ranks low nationally in how much CO₂ is emitted into the atmosphere. It ranks near other sparsely populated states like Delaware and South Dakota. The majority of CO₂ emissions in the state come from the transportation sector (56.2 percent) while a little more than one-fifth comes from the industrial sector. The commercial, electric power and residential sectors accounted for the remainder.

Carbon dioxide emissions in Idaho (in million metric tons). Data was compiled by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Carbon dioxide emissions in Idaho by sector

Pollution from energy use

Note: Annual data on nitrogen dioxide levels in the Northwest between 2000 and 2014 are unavailable.

Pollution from energy use includes three common air pollutants: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. These and other pollutants are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which are federal standards limiting pollutants that can harm human health in significant concentrations. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is also regulated by the EPA, but it is excluded here since it is not one of the pollutants originally regulated under the Clean Air Act for its harm to human health.

Industries and motor vehicles emit carbon monoxide directly when they use energy. Nitrogen dioxide forms from the emissions of automobiles, power plants and other sources. Ground level ozone (also known as tropospheric ozone) is not emitted but is the product of chemical reactions between nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic chemicals. The EPA tracks these and other pollutants from monitoring sites across the United States. The data below shows nationwide and regional trends for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone between 2000 and 2014. States with consistent climates and weather patterns were grouped together by the EPA to make up each region.

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced from combustion processes, e.g., when gasoline reacts rapidly with oxygen and releases exhaust; the majority of national CO emissions come from mobile sources like automobiles. CO can reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and at very high levels can cause death. CO concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm). Since 1994, federal law prohibits CO concentrations from exceeding 9 ppm during an eight-hour period more than once per year.

The chart below compares the annual average concentration of carbon monoxide in the Northern Rockies/Plains and Northwestern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. States with consistent climates and weather patterns are grouped together by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which collects these data, to make up each region. Each line represents the annual average of all the data collected from pollution monitoring sites in each region. In the Northwest, there were three monitoring sites throughout three states, compared to one monitoring site for five states in the Northern Rockies/Plains. In 2000, the average concentration of carbon monoxide was 3.93 ppm in the Northwest, compared to 5.5 ppm in the Northern Rockies/Plains. In 2014, the average concentration of carbon monoxide was 1.73 ppm in the Northwest, a decrease of 55.9 percent from 2000, compared to 2.6 ppm in the Northern Rockies/Plains, a decrease of 52.7 percent from 2000.

Ground-level ozone

Ground-level ozone is created by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in sunlight. Major sources of NO_x and VOCs include industrial facilities, electric utilities, automobiles, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents. Ground-level ozone can produce health problems for children, the elderly, and asthmatics. Since 2008, federal law has prohibited ozone concentrations from exceeding a daily eight-hour average of 75 parts per billion (ppb). Beginning in 2025, federal law will prohibit ground-level ozone concentrations from exceeding a daily eight-hour average of 70 ppb.

The chart below compares the daily eight-hour average concentration of ground-level ozone in the Northern Rockies/Plains and Northwestern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. In the chart below, ozone concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm), which can be converted to parts per billion (ppb). In the Northern Rockies/Plains, there were 12 monitoring sites throughout five states, compared to 17 monitoring sites throughout three states in the Northwest. In 2000, the daily eight-hour average concentration of ozone was 0.0598 ppm, or 59.8 ppb in the Northern Rockies/Plains, compared to 0.0599 ppm, or 59.9 ppb in the Northwest. In 2014, the daily eight-hour average concentration of ozone was 0.0578 ppm, or 57.8 ppb in the Northern Rockies/Plains, a decrease of 3.3 percent from 2000, compared to 0.059 ppm, or 56.9 ppb in the Northwest, a decrease of 5 percent from 2000.

State laws

Idaho's environmental laws and rules can be found in Chapter 58 of the Idaho State Code. Idaho environmental rules are open for public comment and are reviewed by a board of citizens appointed by the governor. The rules must be approved by the board of citizens before they are submitted to the state legislature. If the state legislature does not act one way or the other, the rules automatically become law at the end of the legislative session. If a rule involves fees on individuals or businesses, the state legislature must vote on the rule.

• The Idaho Environmental Protection and Health Act is the state's major piece of environmental legislation. It created the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and transferred all environmental protection responsibilities to the department in July 2000. Before that date, environmental regulation was the responsibility of the state's Department of Health and Welfare. The law gave the Environmental Quality department power to create air, water and pollution treatment programs. The law required that the programs have "a reasonable relationship to the public health costs, private property rights, environmental, economic and energy impacts."

Enforcement

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is composed of five major divisions:

• The Air Quality Division maintains air quality and issues permits for regulated facilities that emit air pollutants.
• The Water Quality Division regulates rivers and streams throughout Idaho for water pollution and regulates public drinking water systems.
• The Waste Management and Remediation Division regulates the storage, treatment and disposal of wastes in Idaho.
• The Environmental Management & Information Division provides outreach and technical assistance to individuals, businesses and other private individuals that are subject to the state's environmental laws.
• The Technical Services Division provides peer-reviewed scientific, technical and engineering support to the department's other divisions.

Historical budget information

The table below shows state budget figures for Idaho's environmental and natural resource departments compared to neighboring states.

Total state natural resource expenditures by state
State	Departments/Divisions	FY 2013	FY 2012	FY 2011
Idaho	Environmental Quality; Fish and Game; Lands; Parks and Recreation; Water Resources	$254,231,700	$236,704,800	$240,448,300
Montana	Environmental Quality	$58,222,952	$58,226,820	$59,201,557
Oregon*	Environmental Quality; Fish and Wildlife; Parks and Recreation	-	$874,090,275*	$842,797,961*
Washington*	Natural Resources; Ecology	$780,033,000*	$695,409,000*
Sources: Idaho Division of Financial Management, Montana Office of Budget and Program Planning, Oregon Chief Financial Office, Washington State Legislature *This denotes a biennium state budget's figures.

Major groups

Below is a list of environmental advocacy organizations in Idaho.

• Greater Yellowstone Coalition
• Idaho Conservation League
• Idaho Environmental Education Association
• Idaho Foundation for Parks and Lands
• Idaho Native Plant Society
• Idaho Rivers United
• Nature Conservancy - Idaho
• Palouse Land Trust
• Sawtooth Society
• Sierra Club - Northern Rockies Chapter

Ballot measures

Voting on the Environment
Ballot Measures
By state
By year
Not on ballot
Local Local environment Local GMO Local fracking

Below is a list of ballot measures relating to environmental issues in Idaho.

• Idaho Dredge Mining Initiative, Initiative 1 (1954)

• Idaho Affirmation of Water Rights, SJR 7 (1924)
• Idaho Limit Use of Natural Streams, HJR 13 (1928)
• Idaho Creation of Water Resources Agency, SJR 1 (1964)
• Idaho Legislative Authority to Amend State Water Plan, SJR 117 (1984)

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Idaho environmental policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Historical Idaho environmental information, 1954-2016 - Google News

See also

• 

  Environmental policy in the U.S.

• 

  Energy policy in the U.S.

• 

  Endangered species policy in the U.S.

• Endangered species in Idaho
• Energy policy in Idaho
• Federal land policy
• Federal land ownership by state
• BLM oil and gas leases by state
• Payments in lieu of taxes

External links

• Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
• Idaho Department of Lands
• Idaho Parks and Recreation
• Idaho Department of Fish and Game
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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