Committee sends bill to floor to steer larger share of mine-license tax to abandoned mine lands fund

The Resources and Conservation Committee voted to send House Bill H226 to the floor with a "do pass" recommendation after a brief discussion on stabilizing Idaho’s Abandoned Mine Lands Fund.

Representative Dustin Manwaring, R‑District 29 of Pocatello, introduced the bill and said it "deals with the Idaho Mine License Tax and how it's distributed to the Abandoned Mine Land fund." He said the measure aims to stabilize the fund so "in down cycles we don't see the same pattern of ongoing expenditures depleting the fund."

Committee members and stakeholders focused on four main changes in the bill: redirecting a larger percentage of the state mine license tax to the Abandoned Mine Lands Fund; creating a mechanism for voluntary contributions to the fund; restricting the proportion of money that may be spent on management or personnel costs; and creating a public advisory committee with representatives from counties, state agencies, conservation groups and mining companies.

Benjamin Davenport, executive vice president of the Idaho Mining Association, described the fund's purpose and…