Current News Coverage
New state budget cuts could hinder Idaho’s ability to fight wildfires, increase safety risk
Idaho Capital Sun, 12-12-26
Editor’s note: This Idaho Capital Sun story is the next in our series focused on the impacts of additional 1% and 2% budget cuts to state agencies approved by the Legislature’s budget committee for fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027. Previous stories focused on how the proposed budget cuts may affect the state’s mental health court program and graduate medical education in the state. The cuts are also projected to delay tax return processing, lead to reduced water quality monitoring, make it harder for Idaho’s Department of Water Resources to administer water rights, and lead to the state spending more to house people in prison whose parole hearings will be delayed.
A new round of state budget cuts approved by the Idaho Legislature’s budget committee will likely force the state to hire fewer seasonal firefighters and cut back on fire prevention work, which increases fire risk across the state, the director leading Idaho’s state wildfire response said.
Read Idaho Capital Sun, IDL budget article
New state budget cuts could hinder Idaho’s ability to fight wildfires, increase safety risk
KMVT, 2-12-26
The Idaho Capital Sun reports a new round of state budget cuts approved by the Idaho Legislature’s budget committee will likely force the state to hire fewer seasonal firefighters and cut back on fire prevention work, which increases fire risk across the state, the director leading Idaho’s state wildfire response said.
At a time when Idaho’s population is increasing, fire seasons are growing longer and more intense and more people are living next to forest lands in the wildland urban interface, Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said the smart move would be to invest in and modernize Idaho’s wildfire response program, not cut it back.
“Everybody is concerned about fire risk in Idaho. … You’ve seen the growth in the state, the expansion of the wildland urban interface and the increase in number of human-caused fires we have been experiencing in the past several years,” Miller said in an interview Wednesday night.
Read KMVT article
Letter to JFAC outlines impact of budget cuts
Lewiston Tribune, 2-12-26
BOISE — In a letter addressed to the members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, Administrator of the Division of Financial Management Lori Wolff compiled a list of what the state can expect in the coming fiscal year after ongoing budget reductions were approved by the committee.
The letter arrives in response to JFAC’s Friday meeting, where it was decided state agency budgets will be reduced on an ongoing basis by an additional 2%, or $30.1 million. This number includes the 3% agency holdback order Gov. Brad Little made in the fall, meaning many agencies face a 5% reduction in agency budgets for the 2027 fiscal year.
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Cuts to the Idaho Department of Lands to the tune of $265,000 means either fewer seasonal firefighters will be available to districts under IDL’s protection or the duration seasonal firefighters are employed will be reduced, “increasing the risk of uncontrolled fires.”
Read Lewiston Tribune article
Hayden Lake Marina expansion proposed
Coeur d'Alene Press, 2-12-26
The Hayden Lake Marina could see a complete overhaul as soon as this fall.
An application filed in October with the Idaho Department of Lands seeks to remove and replace the existing docks with a new configuration that would include 32 new slips, according to documents obtained by The Press.
The applicant listed for the project is Southern Marinas Hayden Lake, LLC. Hayden Lake Marina was originally acquired by Southern Marinas in 2021.
Read Coeur d'Alene Press article
Dealing with the aftermath: Managing down, broken trees after wind events
Idaho County Free Press, 2-11-26
Recent wind events have wreaked havoc on timber stands across much of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. Saturated soils combined with prolonged high winds caused numerous trees to uproot or snap off. As a result, many private landowners are now surveying the damage and asking an important question: What should I do with my down and broken trees?
It’s an important question and one worth addressing sooner rather than later.
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When in doubt, consider getting a second opinion. A consulting forester, certified arborist, or your local University of Idaho Extension or Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) office can help evaluate damage and discuss management options. Every tree and site is different, and a professional assessment can help you make informed decisions.
Read Idaho County Free Press article
Public lands proposal seeks to shift stewardship away from long-term return
Bonner County Daily Bee, 2-10-26
BOISE — A constitutional amendment introduced before the House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday seeks to adjust the management of state endowment and public lands in Idaho.
The amendment resolution presented by Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, seeks to shift away from existing language in the Idaho State Constitution that specifies state-owned endowment lands and public lands be managed to “secure the maximum long-term financial return” of its public beneficiaries, which include public institutions such as the Idaho State Department of Education and the University of Idaho.
“Under current land management practices, the landlord has a fiduciary responsibility to approach its land management with the intent of generating this maximum financial return,” Raybould said. “What I propose in this amendment is a change in direction for the future benefit of the state.”
Read Bonner County Bee article
Idaho Gov. Little’s budget director asks JFAC to restore funding for some services that were cut
Idaho Capital Sun, 2-10-26
Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s budget chief is warning the Idaho Legislature’s budget committee that the additional, new across-the-board state budget cuts approved Friday could lead to “long-term structural harm” in Idaho.
On Tuesday afternoon, Idaho Division of Financial Management Administrator Lori Wolff wrote a letter to members of the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, and members of legislative leadership asking them to restore funding for $13 million worth of funding for programs targeted for cuts.
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Cuts to the Idaho Department of Lands means an increased fire risk for rural communities and the ability to hire fewer seasonal firefighters next year, Wolff wrote.
Read Idaho Capital Sun article
Idaho land becomes a constitutional issue
Lewiston Tribune, 2-8-26
ANALYSIS
Idaho legislators will consider a pair of constitutional amendments that address state-owned land and the degree it is protected from hitting the auction block.
The status of public land, whether state or federal, became a hot topic last summer when Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, pushed legislation that would have forced the federal government to sell up to 3 million acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. It prompted a grassroots backlash from public land lovers who flooded switchboards and inboxes on Capital Hill. Idaho state legislators, who had no say in the legislation, even heard from worried constituents.
Lee’s effort was turned back when his colleagues, including Congressman Mike Simpson and U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, all Republicans from Idaho, rejected it. Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, backed a smaller sell-off provision.
In January, state Sen. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, introduced a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that would prevent the sale of any land the state acquires from the federal government. It would not affect land already owned by the state. If it is approved by a two-thirds margin during the legislative session and later by a majority of voters in November, it would be added to the state constitution.
Read Lewiston Tribune article
Opinion: Idahoans must act to secure the public lands we own
Idaho State Journal, 2-7-26
This week, I introduced House Joint Resolution 8 to protect Idaho’s endowment and public lands from being sold as our state continues to grow. Today, the Constitution requires the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners to maximize long-term financial returns from endowment lands, even if that requires selling the land. HJR 8 updates this language to prioritize producing revenue from the land while providing public access, ensuring these lands remain available for recreation, hunting, fishing and grazing. This approach maintains our obligation to support public schools and other trust beneficiaries.
When Idaho became a state in 1890, the federal government granted us 3.6 million acres of land. The grant required the state to hold these lands in trust to benefit public schools and other state institutions. Over the last 135-plus years, Idaho sold about 1.2 million acres, roughly a third of those lands. While land sales have slowed in recent years, the speed of growth in Idaho poses a risk to protecting these lands in the future.
In a 2012 decision, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that the Land Board must consider the possibility of a sale if the value of the land exceeds the income the state can generate from leases or other activities. As a result, lands suitable for grazing, hunting, fishing and recreation are more vulnerable to being sold as communities expand and land values increase.
Read Idaho State Journal article
Legislative update
Sandpoint Reader, 2-7-26
By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint
Reader Contributor
Greetings from Boise. Last Friday, Jan. 30, marked the end of three weeks of legislative activity. Many bills have been introduced; though few have been voted on by the representatives on the House side of the Capitol.
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Another piece of property insurance is funding for the Idaho Department of Lands. Our local fire and EMS districts provide us 24/7 emergency response for structure fires, accidents and medical calls. However, we also need IDL for the larger forest and wildland fires like the Sunset fire last summer.
IDL provides fire staffing, equipment and the aerial firefighting resources for such “campaign” fires. These resources are important to direct fire away from structures. When structures are involved, it’s the local fire districts that extinguish those fires. A bill to expand the fee schedule for IDL was introduced last week and made it out of the House. For homeowners living outside the boundaries of a fire district, IDL helps to keep them insured.
It’s an honor to serve this community and to represent you in Boise. If you have thoughts or opinions, please send them to msauter@house.idaho.gov.
Read Sandpoint Reader article
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