>Northland folks:
>At a reception last night for Legislators, Maynard Miller said he hadn't
>heard from anyone in District 5 on the proposed Takings bill from Rep.
>Kempton, R-Albion. Enclosed is the alert we sent out last week. This one
>is bad news. It is possible to call or email concerns to Miller, and your
>other reps, Tom Trail and Gary Schroeder. A quick call or an email line
>would be very helpful.
>No one in District 5 is on the first house committee, but it is getting a
>lot of attention down in the wonderful state capital where it was the lead
>story in the Idaho Statesman yesterday. The time is good for encouraging
>Miller, Trail and Schroeder to bail out from the Republican property
>rights crazies.
>
>Feel free to send this message far and wide. Thanks for your help, John
>
>----------
>
>
>IDAHO CONSERVATION LEAGUE
>IDAHO RIVERS UNITED
>IDAHO WILDLIFE FEDERATION
>INLAND EMPIRE PUBLIC LANDS COUNCIL
>
>STOP ENVIRONMENTAL BLACKMAIL
>
>Help Stop House Bill 538
>
>The Idaho legislature is considering a bill that threatens local land use
>and environmental regulations. These standards are vital to the
>protection of our drinking water, lakes and rivers, fish, wildlife, air
>quality and open space. House Bill 538 would cost Idaho taxpayers
>millions in legal fees and pollution cleanup. The bill has a good chance
>of passing unless we all speak up.
>
>Introduced by Representative Jim Kempton (R-Albion), H.B. 538 would allow
>developers and land speculators to challenge local land use regulations if
>they feel their property values have been reduced. An unelected,
>unaccountable “Special Master” would decide the “highest and best use” of
>the land, and whether or not the regulation in question is “essential.”
>These are decisions best left to the city councils and county commissions
>elected for that purpose.
>
>The Kempton bill:
>
>* Threatens drinking water supplies by making local pollution prevention
>measures too expensive to defend in court. Wellhead protection, zoning
>ordinances, impact fees on new construction, sewer hook-ups, etc. could
>all be deemed “unreasonable” and be over-ridden.
>
>* Promotes payments to developers who have exhausted their legal rights.
>For example, the developer in Twin Falls who has asked the state to pay $5
>million to keep him from building a dam on the Snake River.
>
>* Promotes urban sprawl. Zoning ordinances would be difficult to defend
>against well-heeled developers challenging cities and counties at every
>turn.
>
>* Creates a new bureaucracy of “Special Masters” whose sole job would be
>to second guess local elected officials.
>
>* Is a legal nightmare, undermining local land use and environmental
>regulations that have been on the books for over 20 years.
>
>
>WHAT YOU CAN DO
>
>Action is needed if we are to stop this anti-environmental legislation.
>
>1. Please write the chairpersons of the committees dealing with the bill.
>
>What to say in your letter:
>
>* You oppose H.B. 538 because it weakens the ability city and county
>governments to protect our water, air and quality of life.
>
>* You oppose H.B. 538 because there already are legal safeguards and court
>procedures protecting private property rights.
>
>* You oppose H.B. 538 because it puts the profits of developers before our
>health, our communities and our quality of life.
>
>Send your letter to:
>
>Senator John Hansen Representative Ron Crane
>Chairman Chairman
>Senate State Affairs Committee House State Affairs Committee
>Idaho State Legislature Idaho State Legislature
>State Capitol Building State Capitol Building
>P.O. Box 83720 P.O. Box 83720
>Boise, ID 83720 Boise, ID 83720
>
>email: infocntr@lso.state.id.us
>
>2. Choose at least two other committee members that live closest to you
>(see list below) and send them copies of your letter.
>
>Select members of the House State Affairs Committee:
>
>Bill Deal, Nampa; Ruby Stone, Boise; Bruce Newcome, Burley; Jeff Alltus,
>Hayden; Paul Kjellander, Boise; Debbie Field, Boise; Julie Ellsworth,
>Boise; Jim Jones, Mountain Home; Kent Kunz, Pocatello; Shirley McKague,
>Meridian; Jim Stoicheff, Sandpoint; Margaret Henbest, Boise.
>
>Select members of the Senate State Affairs Committee:
>
>Sheila Sorenson, Boise; Jerry Twiggs, Blackfoot; Bruce Sweeney, Lewiston;
>Clint Stennett, Ketchum.
>
>3. Please call the legislative hotline at 208-332-1000 or 1-800-626-0471
>and ask your own senator and representatives to vote NO on H.B. 538. The
>hotline worker will ask you who your legislators are. If you don’t know,
>they will help you figure it out. Knowing what legislative district you
>are in will be helpful.
>
>For more information contact the Idaho Conservation League at (208)
>345-6933, Idaho Rivers United at (208) 343-7481, Idaho Wildlife Federation
>at (208) 342-7055, or Inland Empire Public Lands Council at (509)
>838-4912. Thank you for your help and support!
>
>
>