CRAPO KEYNOTES TROUT UNLIMITED BULL TROUT EVENT

Boise - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo will be the guest of honor tomorrow as Trout Unlimited gathers national political and conservation leaders in Eastern Idaho to celebrate cooperative efforts to restore threatened bull trout populations. Crapo will highlight the work of Trout Unlimited's Idaho Water Project in the Little Lost River Valley where conservation groups, ranchers, sportsmen and local, state and federal officials have worked to restore the trout.

Crapo will join Idaho Water Project Director Kim Goodman and Director of Western Water Projects Melinda Kassen of Trout Unlimited; USDA Undersecretary Mark Rey, Natural Resources and Conservation Service Chief Arlen Lancaster and many local conservation groups, ranchers, and others at the event north of Howe, Idaho. The participants in Trout Unlimited's Idaho Water Project worked together to put in place river diversions, riparian buffers and re-watering connections made possible with private efforts and government funding.

"This celebration recognizes how important and productive cooperative efforts to save species can be," Crapo noted. "Everyone benefits in the preservation and restoration of our nation's resources while at the same time we maintain a viable, sustainable industry for ranchers, farmers, landowners and communities." Crapo has led a bipartisan effort to provide tax breaks for private landowners who voluntarily participate in efforts to save species. He hopes S. 700, the Endangered Species Recovery Act, will receive a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee next month.

Crapo keynotes Trout Unlimited's Idaho Water Project celebration event on bull trout recovery:

Wednesday, August 29th
1:30 p.m.
Jim Andreason's Ranch
Three miles north of Clyde, Idaho (watch for Trout Unlimited signs)
Directions:
From Idaho Falls:
Travel I-15 North 24.2 miles
Take Exit 143-Mud Lake/Rexburg
Turn West (Left) onto ID-28/ID-33 25.5 miles
Turn South (Left) to stay on ID-33 4.1 miles
Turn West (Right) to stay on ID-33 13.0 miles
Turn North (Right) at Howe, Idaho, stop sign 22.3 miles
End Badger Creek project site