Salmon Board Meeting Set

The Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) Board will take public comment in Boise September 24 on salmon recovery projects. The board is made up of Jim Caswell, Administrator for the Office of Species Conservation; Steve Huffaker, Director of Idaho Department of Fish & Game; Karl Dreher, Director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources; and James Yost, Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Kempthorne. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the J.R. Williams Building east conference room. Leaders of 13 salmon recovery projects will present 15-minute programs to provide additional information to the board before funding allocations are decided. Comment from the public or from other project sponsors will be heard after 3 p.m. The PCSRF Board received 45 project submittals seeking more than $11 million in funding. The PCSRF Board has since that time established criteria for grading the projects and has reviewed each project. "Idaho's inclusion in the PSCRF presents our state with a tremendous opportunity. The board has committed to the Governor and our congressional delegation who labored to get us these funds to find and fund those projects which will benefit fish and come to fruition quickly", PCSRF Board member Jim Caswell said. "This public hearing, with the open dialogue with project sponsors, is a great opportunity for the Board and the public to get a better understanding of what is being proposed". "I am excited to put these funds to use", added board member Steve Huffaker. "I appreciate that our congressional delegation was able to point out that you cannot help the salmon populations in the northwest without Idaho as a partner. "We intended to serve as a model of efficiency and common sense solutions as we dedicate these funds".