April 14, 2017
Inslee: Rural
well issue
shouldn’t
distract
lawmakers
GOP senator: Let’s
‘fix Hirst’ this year
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay
Inslee outlined his legislative
priorities Thursday for the last
weeks of the session, a list that
doesn’t include responding to
the state Supreme Court deci-
sion that has closed rural Wash-
ington to new domestic wells.
“I think it would be most
helpful in many, many places to
find some solution to it, but it is
not as important as funding the
McCleary decision,” said Ins-
lee, referring to the court’s or-
der to spend more on education.
Senate Republicans say they
want to address this year both
McLeary and the Hirst deci-
sion. The 6-3 ruling in October
will require individual proper-
ty owners to prove their well
won’t draw water from existing
uses. Dissenting justices said
the decision puts a massive and
likely insurmountable burden
on people applying for a build-
ing permit.
The Washington Farm Bu-
reau has been among the Hirst
decision’s leading critics, say-
ing it will stop families from
building homes for the next
generation of farmers. Tribes
and environmental groups say
the decision recognizes that
new wells could draw down
fish-supporting rivers that al-
ready have low flows at times.
The GOP-led Senate has
passed a bill to nullify Hirst.
The
Democratic-controlled
House has not advanced legis-
lation, though Democrats have
proposed in two similar bills to
create watershed-level commit-
tees to approve projects to keep
new wells from usurping other
uses of water.
“I think the House, from
what I know of their proposal,
has a more stable system …
that I think would reduce liti-
gation,” Inslee said, speaking to
reporters. “I’ll have more to say
as these bills progress.”
The sponsor of the Senate
bill, Moses Lake Republican
Judy Warnick, said she was dis-
appointed that the House hasn’t
offered a bill and that Inslee
hasn’t made passing one this
year a priority.
“Obviously, I disagree with
his assessment on this. We do
need to deal with it,” she said.
“It’s absolutely a slap in the
face of rural Washington.”
Warnick said she’s ready to
talk with House Democrats and
come to an agreement.
“My leadership has asked
me to negotiate with them,” she
said. “But I don’t know what
I would be negotiating with. I
don’t want to negotiate against
myself.”
House Agriculture and
Natural Resources Committee
Chairman Brian Blake, D-Ab-
erdeen, said last week he hopes
the chamber can produce a
Hirst bill, though no legislation
had enough support to move
from his committee.
Inslee said education fund-
ing was the top issue, but he
volunteered other priorities.
“There are a handful of other
bills that I’m also tracking, and
I’m hoping that will be deliv-
ered to my desk,” he said.
The list, which Inslee said
was not comprehensive, includ-
ed bills to help the homeless,
and crack down on distracted
driving and human trafficking.
Inslee placed an especially
high priority on legislation to
bring state driver’s licenses into
compliance with the federal
REAL ID Act.
Asked whether a Hirst bill
was must-pass legislation, Ins-
lee returned to education fund-
ing.
“They’ve got to focus on
that. We can’t let any other is-
sues intrude on their ability to
get the first job done, which is
the McCleary decision. That’s
Hirst or anything else,” he said.
In a follow-up question,
Inslee was asked whether law-
makers can handle more than
one issue at a time.
“Well, they can obviously.
What I’m saying is, they ought
to focus on McCleary first,” he
said.
CapitalPress.com
7
Idaho FFA officers ready to meet new challenges
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
TWIN FALLS, Idaho —
Idaho’s new state FFA officers
aren’t exactly sure what’s in
store in the coming year, but
they’re excited about the prop-
osition of serving the organi-
zation.
On Saturday — newly
elected and all smiles after a
week of State Leadership Con-
ference frenzy — they first
wanted to eat, sleep and share
their excitement with family
and friends.
Lindsey Stowell, 17, from
Vallivue, said becoming state
president “feels amazing.”
“I’m super excited and ex-
tremely humbled they (mem-
bers) gave me the opportunity
to serve,” she said. FFA is an
ag-based
youth-leadership
organization that gives mem-
bers an opportunity to serve
their community and helps
them prepare for the future.
While the leadership aspect is
important, it’s also important
to remember FFA’s roots run
deep in agriculture, she said.
“As a team, I hope we
reach out to as many chapters
as possible and branch out
from ag classes and visit more
core classes,” she said.
She plans to study dairy
science and nutrition at the
University of Idaho and even-
tually run her own dairy.
“It’s been an emotional
rollercoaster,” said Austen
Thomason of Weiser, 18, the
new state treasurer.
Carol Ryan Dumas/Capital Press
The new Idaho FFA state officers after the close of this year’s state leadership conference Saturday
at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. From left are President Lindsey Stowell, Vallivue;
Vice President Randy Clements, Clark County; Reporter Taylor Stephenson, Kuna; Treasurer Austen
Thomason, Weiser; Secretary Sydney Anderson, Nampa; and Sentinel Peter Towne, Kendrick.
The interview process was
long but a great experience.
The candidates were the best
of the best, and any one of
them could have been chosen,
he said.
“I’m really grateful. It re-
ally hasn’t set in fully yet, but
it was an amazing experience
and it’s going to be a great year
with a great team. I’m really
looking forward to what it has
in store for us,” he said.
His main mission is to
make sure FFA members and
guests feel welcome — and
to move the organization for-
ward, he said.
He plans to major in agri-
business and minor in political
science at the University of
Idaho.
State Secretary Sydney
Anderson, 17, of Nampa said
being a state officer is surreal.
She was feeling a rush of emo-
tions and not sure just yet what
to expect next.
Her mission, however, is
to use her experience to help
members rise to their potential,
to shoot for more than they
think they can achieve and be
successful, she said.
She plans to study equine
science or agribusiness at the
College of Southern Idaho.
State Reporter Taylor Ste-
phenson, 17, of Kuna said she
was a little in shock but being
with the other new officers
was bringing reality closer.
“I just gained a whole new
family, so it’s starting to sink
it,” she said.
The officers’ mission will
be pushing members to think
outside the box, past what they
think are their limits to find
themselves along the way, she
said.
“I’m excited to serve Ida-
ho FFA; it’s going to be awe-
some,” she said.
She plans to pursue animal
and veterinary science at the
University of Idaho.
State Sentinel Peter Towne,
18, from Kendrick said he was
wiped out Saturday morning
but the adrenalin kicked in
with the new officer announce-
ment. The interview process
was mayhem but fun at the
same time, he said.
“It’s been crazy, it’s been
life-changing,” he said.
While he was still some-
what in disbelief, he said his
goal will be to make sure ev-
eryone knows there’s a place
to go and opportunity to grow
in FFA and agriculture, he said.
He plans to pursue ag ed-
ucation at the University of
Idaho.
“It’s the best way for me to
be involved in FFA the rest of
my life. FFA is a family; I just
want to be involved with my
FFA family forever,” he said.
State Vice President Ran-
dy Clements, 16, of Clark
County said the election pro-
cess was interesting with un-
expected aspects. He became
good friends with all the can-
didates and it was hard to see
most get cut in the process, he
said.
His goal is to interact with
members and help them grow,
as well as raising interest in ag
education and FFA, he said.
He plans to major in ag
education at the University of
Idaho.
“I want to be able to help
students get involved in the
organization I love and also be
able to teach students about the
industry I love,” he said.
All of the new officers will
graduate from high school in
May — including Clements,
who will graduate a year early.
Next step pondered for Treasure Valley farmland preservation efforts
By SEAN ELLIS
Capital Press
BOISE — The group be-
hind a year-long effort to ex-
plore options for preserving
farmland in Idaho’s Treasure
Valley hopes the effort leads to
action.
“The goal of our effort was
to educate the public and ... cre-
ate a conversation about farm-
land preservation,” said Nampa
farmer Janie Burns, chairwom-
an of the Treasure Valley Food
Coalition. “We wanted to help
inspire action.”
The TVFC brought in ex-
perts on the issue from other
parts of the country and state to
discuss farmland preservation
efforts in their areas.
One of the ideas that seems
to have risen to the top is the use
of voluntary agricultural ease-
ments to protect farm ground
from development. These types
of programs pay farmers a cer-
tain price per acre in exchange
for an easement that preserves
the land as farm ground.
During the last event of
the year-long educational ef-
fort April 10, Merrill Beyeler,
a Leadore rancher and former
state representative, said he
plans to ask lawmakers next
year to provide funding to help
support some type of ag ease-
ment program in Idaho.
Federal dollars are available
for these types of easements but
they require 25 percent match-
es from the owner and from an-
other source.
In Idaho, there is no stable
funding source for that “other”
25 percent match requirement,
Beyeler said.
“It’s going to have to be the
state of Idaho, I think,” he said.
“I will be exploring that possi-
bility.”
He will be joined in that ef-
fort by Kristin Troy, executive
director of the Lemhi Regional
Land Trust, which operates in
Lemhi and Custer counties in
Idaho.
Another idea that has arisen
during the year-long education-
al effort is the possibility of
asking Treasure Valley voters
to approve a farmland preser-
vation levy. The money would
be used to fund easements.
That idea is being mulled by
the Ada Soil and Water Con-
servation District, which spon-
sored the TVFC effort.
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