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| * A BULLETIN Idaho Dept of Water Quality ends USGS Relationship |
See (CEEI BULLETIN ON MERCURY MONITORING) " BULLETIN CEEI STANDS BY IT'S REPORT."
LEWISTON (AP) — The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has ended a partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct water quality monitoring of streams, lakes and rivers throughout the state.
The change, affecting monitoring at nearly 50 sites such as Silver Creek and the Big and Little Wood rivers, was announced last year as a cost-saving measure.
Gwen Fransen, an administrator with the state agency, said the agency didn’t have the money to continue the agreement.
“Historically, we had entered into a cooperative agreement with them for monitoring,” Fransen said. “We had to discontinue that agreement because of our budget shortfall.”
Greg Clark, associate director for the USGS water program in Idaho, said last year the monitoring cost both agencies a combined $250,000 a year. DEQ late last year held onto $117,000 and backed out of the cost-share program; the federal agency doesn’t have enough to continue the full effort on its own.
Fransen said the U.S. Geological Survey will continue to do water quality monitoring in the state, and the state agency will monitor high-priority projects. But not as much will get done without the agreement, she said.
Fransen said the state is required every two years to write a water quality status report under the federal Clean Water Act.
“If we can’t resume the monitoring we have had to suspend, we are going to have to figure out a different strategy for completing that report in 2012,” Fransen said.
The lack of data could make it more difficult for businesses that want to move to Idaho, particularly those that need a permit to discharge effluent, said Justin Hayes of the Idaho Conservation League.
“You end up in a situation where industry wants permits and won’t be able to get them because there is not enough money to process the permits,” Hayes said.
Fransen said that the business seeking the permit would have to do the background water monitoring. Fransen said the state and federal Environmental Protection Agency would confirm the business did the monitoring.
DEQ continues to face budget pressures as legislators debate where to save the state money. The agency’s presentation before the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is slated for today.
Staff writer Nate Poppino contributed to this report.
Posted in Local, News on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 1:00 am Updated: 10:40 pm. |
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National Geographic Image Collection/Annie Griffiths Belt |
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