Committee approves memorial urging faster permits and asking federal partners to consider transfer of Camas National Wildlife Refuge management

The House Resources and Conservation Committee on Wednesday voted to advance Senate Joint Memorial 104, a measure asking federal partners to expedite a permit to clear the Camas Creek channel through Camas National Wildlife Refuge and to consider transferring management of the refuge to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Sponsor Senator Van Burtonshaw, R.-Dist. 31, told the committee the cleaning would allow more water to pass through the refuge and reduce the need for groundwater pumping to fill Mud Lake for irrigation. "This bill does two things. Number 1, it asks our federal partners to expedite that permit to make that happen. Number 2 ... is that the federal government turn that property over to the state to manage," Burtonshaw said.

The memorial grew out of complaints from Mud Lake area water users who, Burtonshaw said, have for years pumped groundwater to make up for surface water that does not reach Mud Lake. He gave multi-year figures during his presentation, saying Mud Lake…