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Senate committee introduces RS31801 to direct state share of FERC land-use assessments to energy fund
Summary
A legislative measure introduced to route Idaho’s portion of assessments paid by FERC licensees for federal land use into a dedicated fund managed by the Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources was moved out of committee by voice vote after a brief presentation by the office.
At a meeting of an Idaho Senate committee, members voted to introduce RS31801, a legislative proposal from the Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources to direct the state’s portion of assessments paid by FERC licensees for use of federal lands into an existing, dedicated fund managed by that office.
Richard Stover, administrator of the Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, told the committee the measure is intended to “update and harmonize Idaho code” so those receipts are credited to a fund the office uses “to protect and advance the state's energy and mining policies and ensure that the state's engagement on such policies is meaningful and beneficial.” He said most FERC licensees in Idaho are hydropower operators and electric utilities, and that the proposal would not reduce other programs’ revenues.
Stover described recent workload pressures: “In the last 3 years, we have seen approximately a 40% increase in energy and mining projects coming through our office that implicate the NEPA process,” and said the office’s existing budget is fully allocated to staff duties. He told the committee the measure would route roughly “$150,000 annual paid by FERC licensees” into the dedicated fund to support coordination of the state’s engagement on relicensing and other projects.
Stover said he had spoken with most owners of Idaho’s 32 hydropower projects and that, “uniformly, they have all supported this” proposal.
After Stover’s presentation, Senator Harris moved to introduce RS31801 and send it to print; Senator Cook seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.
No formal roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript; the committee took the action by voice and the motion was carried.
What happens next: Introduction and printing is an early procedural step; the bill will follow the Legislature’s standard scheduling and referral process.
