Valley County approves memo urging infrastructure funding to support critical-mineral transportation

Valley County commissioners on Jan. 12 approved a road-department memo recommending the county send a form letter seeking targeted infrastructure grant funding for transportation networks that support critical-mineral operations.

Kristen (road department) presented a draft form letter that asks state and federal partners for help "strengthening transportation networks serving critical mineral operations with particular attention to Valley County right of way," and listed potential recipients including the U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho Office of Emergency Management, the governor's office, state legislators, LTAC and U.S. senators. The draft references transportation corridors to a mine named in the memo.

Commissioners discussed wording and scope; one commissioner asked that the letter avoid naming a specific mine and instead refer to mining activities broadly to ensure the request applies to any future operations. Commissioner Caldwell was asked to take the lead on state-level outreach and to partner with the road director on federal outreach. An unidentified commissioner moved to approve the memo and it passed by voice vote.

Kristen said she will revise the memo into a final form letter and circulate a draft back to the commissioners for sign-off and broader distribution to the agencies named in the memo.