This bill allocates state funding to Idaho's Natural Resources agencies for fiscal year 2027, covering operations, personnel, and capital projects across departments like Environmental Quality, Fish and Game, and Parks and Recreation. It establishes specific spending limits on certain positions, requires agencies to report on remediation projects, and directs money from the Water Pollution Control Fund to environmental remediation and agricultural best management practice funds. The legislation also provides flexibility to reappropriate certain recovery funds, exempts some appropriations from transfer restrictions, and sets up new funds for aquifer planning and flood management while requiring accountability reports on fund usage.
This bill approves most temporary and pending administrative rules submitted by Idaho state agencies for review during the 2026 legislative session, while rejecting specific rules from agencies including agriculture, environmental quality, health and welfare, and occupational licensing. The resolution allows agencies to continue their proposed regulations unless the Legislature explicitly disapproves them, with rejected rules becoming void at the end of the session. It lists 17 specific rule dockets that are not approved, covering areas such as seed production, fishing licenses, daycare licensing, water quality, and occupational therapy standards. State agencies and the public are directly affected as this determines which proposed regulations will remain in effect or expire.
This Idaho bill restricts how data centers can use water for cooling purposes, specifically targeting facilities that begin construction on or after July 1, 2026. Under the new rules, data centers may only use water for cooling if it comes from a municipal water system, water district, or water and sewer district. The legislation aims to protect local water supplies and watersheds by preventing data centers from using water that would otherwise be available for other community needs. The law requires the state Department of Water Resources to consider these water conservation goals when reviewing water rights applications for data centers.
This bill appropriates $2,011,700 to Idaho's Department of Environmental Quality for fiscal year 2027 to fund water quality, waste management, and remediation programs. It also authorizes four additional full-time equivalent positions within the department and consolidates several fee accounts by transferring money between them to streamline financial management. The legislation reduces a specific federal fund allocation for water quality personnel costs while moving money from the hazardous waste emergency fund to the solid waste regulatory fund. Once signed into law, these changes will take effect on July 1, 2026.
This bill is a joint memorial from the Idaho Legislature that formally requests the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce the number of pelicans in Idaho. It argues that the pelican population has grown too large and is negatively impacting local fish populations and fishing-related businesses. The document asks the federal government to allow measures to control the bird population and to provide financial compensation to the state for resource losses. This is a non-binding resolution intended to communicate Idaho's concerns to federal officials rather than create new laws.
This bill provides funding for Idaho's Soil and Water Conservation Commission for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, directing money through both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Water Resources. It reduces the Department of Agriculture's allocation for 2027 while increasing the Department of Water Resources' funding for the same period, with specific amounts designated for personnel, operations, capital outlays, and trustee and benefit payments. The legislation also sets aside $300,000 to distribute equally among the state's 50 soil and water conservation districts and provides an additional $12,900 for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. Once signed into law, the bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, with one section becoming effective immediately upon signing.
This concurrent resolution expresses the Idaho Legislature's support for state energy sovereignty and establishes guidelines for evaluating energy infrastructure projects. It requires that major transmission projects demonstrate clear, measurable benefits to Idaho ratepayers before approval or cost allocation is permitted. The bill prioritizes secure, dispatchable energy sources like nuclear, hydroelectric, geothermal, and natural gas generation while protecting agricultural land, water resources, and private property rights. It also directs state agencies to ensure utility participation in interstate energy markets does not compromise Idaho's energy security or local interests.
This bill is a joint memorial from the Idaho Legislature requesting that the U.S. Congress pass laws to regulate solar geoengineering activities. It specifically asks for federal legislation to prohibit the intentional release of substances into the atmosphere for solar geoengineering without explicit approval from the State of Idaho. The memorial urges banning unmarked aircraft and drones used for such activities over Idaho airspace and recommends making unauthorized actions a felony offense with criminal penalties. The document also calls for cooperation between federal law enforcement and Idaho state agencies to enforce these regulations and demands full disclosure and public consent for any solar geoengineering programs conducted over Idaho.
This bill is a joint memorial from the Idaho Legislature requesting federal action to reduce the pelican population in the state. It asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow measures that would curtail the number of pelicans, which the bill claims are overpopulated and consuming more fish than human anglers. The resolution also urges the federal government to compensate Idaho for resource losses attributed to the birds. The document does not create new laws but instead formally requests federal agencies to address what the legislature views as an ecological imbalance.
This bill is a concurrent resolution that formally expresses the Idaho Legislature's support for wildlife crossings designed to help animals safely cross roads. It recognizes that big game species like deer, elk, and pronghorn need unbroken migration paths to survive and that highway collisions endanger both wildlife and people. The resolution highlights that infrastructure projects such as overpasses and underpasses have successfully reduced wildlife-vehicle accidents and encourages future investments in these crossings where local communities agree. Copies of the resolution are sent to state officials and federal representatives to promote continued efforts in wildlife conservation and public safety.
