04/28/09

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ The Senate passed a new bill to help remedy
conflicts between wild bighorn sheep and their domestic brethren
after Gov. C.L. ``Butch'' Otter vetoed an earlier bill he said
shortchanged domestic sheep and wildlife.

Tuesday's vote was 26-8. The measure now goes to the House.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game must develop a plan to
keep bighorns away from domestic sheep within 120 days, if the
measure becomes law.

Sen. Jeff Siddoway, the measure's sponsor and a sheep rancher,
says he hopes this will help douse a brewing fight in the Hell's
Canyon area of western Idaho, where federal agencies could shutter
public grazing allotments on concern domestic sheep pass deadly
illnesses to bighorns.

Area ranchers are on guard, fearing for their livelihoods.

Siddoway, a Terreton Republican, says, ``The big horns certainly
are valuable, but the domestic sheep industry is worth saving,
too.''

Meanwhile, earlier today officials with the Nez Perce National
Forest say they will consider modifying or ending domestic sheep
grazing on a tract of public land east of Riggins.

Forest officials said Monday they will write a new environmental
impact statement to determine if domestic sheep grazing poses a
threat to native bighorn sheep on the north side of the Salmon
River canyon.

Sheep grazing on the so-called Allison-Berg grazing allotment
has been banned since 2007 when a federal judge ruled domestic
sheep put wild bighorns at risk of contracting a deadly respiratory
disease.

A sheep grazing plan was approved for the 40,000-acre tract in
1996. But at the time, forest officials didn't believe native
bighorns roamed the area.

But forest officials say conditions have changed and it's time
to do a full environmental review.

___

Information from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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