Crapo, Craig Introduce Measure to Help Eastern Idaho Water Company

Washington, D.C. â?? Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig today introduced legislation that intends to convey title of facilities presently owned by the Bureau of Reclamation to the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District (FMID). FMID has maintained and controlled the facilities in question since they were built. The facilities include the Cross Cut Dam and Canal, the Teton Wells, and the Idaho Department of Water Resources Permit number 22-7702 from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District (FMID). A similar bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives today by Idaho 2nd District Representative Mike Simpson. Crapo said, â??This is an important step forward to manage local resources in a way that reflect the needs of irrigators and the ecology. Over the past few years, representatives of the district have worked with local citizens, agriculture interests, the Bureau of Reclamation, and conservation groups to create a transfer agreement that truly is an effective compromise. I commend all the parties for their work on such a delicate and complex process and I look forward to its speedy consideration by the Senate.â??â??I am pleased to see that all sides have come together on the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District bill,â?? Craig said. â??Senator Crapo and I have been working on this bill for a long time, and it looks like everyone involved with it agrees on the version we are introducing today. This bill embodies the kind of collaborative process I strongly believe in. I hope to see this legislation pass the Senate very soon.â??The legislation was introduced and passed in the 107th Congress. Different versions of the bill passed the Senate and the House; however , a conference report was not reached before the congressional adjournment. The Senate bill is expected to be referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works for review.# # #